Serial
by ksjf2012
Summary: If you read my story To Catch A Criminal, this is the very long over due sequel. I know a lot of people aren't really reading BTR stories anymore but I love writing them! Let me know what you think!
1. Chapter 1

This is nothing new to me, waking up in my own cold sweat. Gasping for air and shivering at the images I just saw in my dream...or rather my nightmare is now a daily occurance. I can't sleep anymore without seeing the face of a man I hated more than anything. I can't sleep without feeling horrible burning pains in my back making me sob out in my sleep, making me wake up. Much like this morning. Nothing was new. I caustiously glanced around my semi dark room thanking God it was empty. Knowing my room was clear of anyone who would harm me, I laid myself back donw on the soft sheet and pillow and wiped my forehead closing my eyes. And then it hit me. I was alone.

I shot back up in bed and looked over my left shoulder. No one was lying next to me. The messy blonde hair, and naked tanned skin of my lover was not next to me. That was new.

I frowned as I kicked my dark blue blankets off my body and slid out of bed. I groaned very quietly as my bare feet the hard wood and started walking to the wide open door of my bedroom. I was quiet as I walked out of the room and made my way down the long hallway. There was a light coming from the living room and as I approached it I could hear faint talking and the sizzling of something cooking. I frowned as I quickly pulled my hair up onto my head and put it in a very messy bun. I walked through the living room ignroing the pounding rain hitting onto the windows as I walked by. And then I stopped walking all together. Around the corner for my living room was the sound of two male voices talking. Usually, I don't like to snoop on someone I loved and cared about. But this conversation was not supposed to be heard by me, because I'm a cop. And I only know it wasnt supposed to be heard by me because they were talking very, very quietly. It just encouraged me more to lean against the door frame and listen.

"How in the hell did I miss this?" Kendall's soft voice sounded pained. It made me a little worried because in the amount of time that I've known him the only time he's sounded so hurt has had something to do about me. "Why didn't he do anything to us?"

"Because just like you two, he was on vacation. He didn't want to ruin the nice moment he was about to have fucking his mistress. And don't kill yourself over this Kendall. It took us a while to recognize him too." Carlos sounded pissed off. Also really tired. I sighed softly hating I missed the begining of this conversation but ignroed the thought. I heard a chair scoot back on the floor and pushed off the wall walking into my kitchen.

I walked slowly seeing Kendall standing in front of the stove, back turned to me. I shifted my focus to Carlos who was standing up and shoving papers and what looked like pictures back into a black binder. "Hey Jess." I gave him a small smile as I tried desperetly to see what he was hiding but had no luck. I turned back to see Kendall now facing me, a cute grin on his face. It made me smile wider. I took the 12 steps it took to get to him and slid my arms around him, shoving my face into his chest.

"You're all sweaty and hot." He paused and I closed my eyes inhaling his fresh out of the shower scent. "Bad dream again?" I nodded to his hushed whisper. He sighed over me and rubbed my back with one hand while the other did something else, probably flip over bacon. "What was it this time?" I opened my eyes seeing Carlos giving me a concerned look while he sipped form his coffee, leaning against our kitchen sink.

"I was back in that room...I..." I stopped and squeezed my eyes shut hard turning my face away from Carlos feeling my cheeks flush.

"I can leave if..."

"It's alright Carlos." I breathed Kendall's scent into my nostrils letting it control my thoughts in my head and smile. "Just a stupid dream again. Nothing to worry about." I pushed away from him quick and turned putting my back to both of them as I opened the fridge. "Any coffee left?"

"Yeah...let me get you a cup." I could only nod as I grabbed a tupperware dish full of chopped fruit and blinked away harsh tears.

I ate a full, healthy breakfast thanks to Kendall and made small talk with Carlos about the much needed trip Kendall and I just had in Mexico. When I finished my third cup of coffee I made my way to the master bath, and started to get myself ready for my first day back at work. I was careful to not hurt the fresh scars on my back as I got out of Kendall's black shirt he let me sleep in, and stepped into the luke warm water. I put the shower head on a barely there trickle and stepped under it gasping at the momentary pain I felt, literally everytime I took a shower. The water felt good at the same time it felt bad. Most of the welts were closed up but any kind of pressure, especially by either too hot or too cold water made me want to rip my hair out. I had to take an extra five minutes in my shower everyday now, all because of a man who destroyed me with the crack of a whip and the scary thought that the love of my life was killed.

Like every time I showered, when I got out, I wrapped myself in a big fluffy red towel and sat on the ege of the tub trying to catch my breath. I was on edge for a couple reasons, but the biggest being that I didn't think I could work under my current physical condiditon. The pain wasn't 24/7. Only if i got my back hit, or stretched it the wrong way. But what if one of those two things happened at work? I know my new partner would worry and probably tell our new captain. Who, as luck woudl have it, was very close with my boyfriend. If Kendall found out I couldn't even stretch at work without hurting myself, he'd make it so I didn't work. I couldn't have that. "Babe?" I looked up and smiled big watching Kendall walking in the bathroom, pulling off his white shirt. "Need some help?" I shook my head looking down his musceled stomach and watched as he threw the shrit to the hamper and opened up our huge walk in closet. "How does your back feel?" I chuckled standing up and walked in the closet with him dropping the towel down to my feet as soon as I got in front of him. He sighed out loudly and gripped my hips kissing the back of my head. "Not fair." I pushed his hands off me as I walked to my dresser opening the top drawer.

"What's not fair?" I spun to him as I pulled on a pair of black panties.

"Showing me that cute ass to distract me from what we really should be talking about." I laughed at this and turned back to my dresser grabbing a bra to match my panties. "Are you sure you're ready Jessica? Because Logan said..."

"I know what Logan said Kendall. I'm fine and I want to go back to work. I'll be okay." He remained quiet behind me which told me I won this one. We both continued to stay quiet as we dresed ourselves for the day ahead. Usually I would wear some sort of flat or heel but because of the rain, I decided on my Converse. As I slipped them on I watched Kendall tie on a pair of black and white Nikes. He finished before me and when I finally did get my shoes on, he put out one hand and I gratefully took it. He pulled me up and went to turn away from me but I stopped him. i caught his face with my free hand and turned it to me. I stood on tippy toes and kissed him softly, but passionetly. His free hand reached up and cupped my neck gently to hold me into place as he kissed me like his life depended on it.

We both left the hosue at the same time, him getting in Carlos's old Mustang, while I got in my own car and went off in the opposite direction. I hated to think about what they were going to be doing today because the cop in me knew it was something illegal. But the love sick girlfriend in me knew I trusted him. I was conflicted, daily with the struggle of my morals but never mentioned it to him. My thoughts on my crminal boyfriend, miraculously disappeared once I pulled into the underground parking garage of the police station. Much like I have done every day since I started working here two and a half years ago, I parked next to Logan's really nice, sleak black two door BMW. I made my way to the elevator and gripped onto the black purse hanging down by my side. I hit the up button by the silver doors and sighed out making sure my makeup looked okay in my reflection. "Benson!" I jumped nearly ten feet in the air hearing my name being yelled and turned quick. My fear left my body seeing James Diamond my new partner walking, or rather running towards me. He had a messenger bag over one shoulder that he held onto as he quickly approached me. "You got hella tan girlfriend." I smirked as he got right next to me and hit the up button about 20 times. "How was your flight in yesterday?"

"Bouncy. I hated it. The storm was horrible coming into." He nodded and I crossed my arms over my chest shaking my head. "You look like you just woke up Diamond." He had a small smirk appear on his mouth just as a red tint covered both cheeks.

"I forgot to set an alarm last night. Mostly because I wasn't home. And the girl I was with wore me the hell out." I gagged shoving past him going into the open elevators. As he got inside next to me I caught a whiff of his cologne. I glanced up at him noticing a big fat hickey on his neck and smiled to myself.

We walked into the precent making small talk, offering smiles to the people walking past us. I sort of felt normal. No one was breathing down my throat about how I felt. No one was asking me if I really wanted to come back to work so soon. No one including James was asking if I needed to talk to someone about how I felt. Unfortunetly that was all going to change. Because just as I set my bag down on my desk I saw the closed door of Captain Logan Mitchell. I felt my heart swell up with pride knowing how hard he's worked for that title. Before I took my seat I walked over to the closed door and took in a deep breath. I gently knocked three times on the door and put on a small, genuine smile. "Come on in." His deep, raspy voice, usually would make me feel slightly horny. But now, it only worried me.

I gently pushed open the door and stepped in slowly. Immedietly I frowned. Logan had his back to me and was pulling on his suit coat. There were at least 6 Starbucks cups on top of his desk and upon further examination there were three more in his garbage. "Late night, last night?" I shut the door just as he turned, smile as big as Texas. But he was the only one smiling. I felt a horrible pang of guilt rush into my heart seeing the bags under his eyes and his hair, usually in perfect place messed up. He tightened his tie and walked around his desk towards me. "You look exhausted Loges." I tensed up as he pulled me in for a hug, avoiding my back and I closed my eyes. "I mean, you look exhausted Captain Mitchell." He laughed quietly in my ear and we pulled away. He opened the door behind me and cleared his throat.

"Diamond." I walked around Logan's body and pulled one of the chairs out from in front of his desk. As I sat down Logan walked back around to his side of his desk and sighed out putting hs head back. "How are you feeling Jess?" I rolled my eyes looking over at the wall to my right and looked at all the pictures he had up. One of them was of our previous Captain, Ben, in his uniform. I looked away quick feeling someone sit next to me.

"I'm fine. Excited to be back at work." Logan chuckeled and leaned forward shifting his eyes between the two of us. "Is everything alright?" He shook his head quick and slid a yellow folder in front of us. I reached for it, opening it and gasping small.

"Last night we had another body turn up. This time hanging from someones tree in thier front yard." My head snapped up and Logan stood up, walking to a filing cabinet in the corner of his office. "When you guys go to the crime scene fill her in on the last three bodies we found. I don't want this to get out but I think were looking at a serial killer." My eyes dropped back down to the picture of teh young looking girl, hanging from a tree branch. She was only in a pair of underwear and a bra, with what looked like cuts all over her torso. James lifted up the first picture to reveal a second one, this one of her back. She had more cuts and brusiing on her back and when he lifted the last picture up I felt sick to my stomach. She had ropes tied tight around her ankles, and wrists, and the rope around her neck was so thick i wouldn't be surprised if she was choked to death by it, before she was hung by it.

"Okay...so I guess I'm the one going to say it." I raised my head quick and looked to James who was staring at Logan. "I don't think we should work this case." I sat up completly and he turned to me shutting the folder. "I know you keep telling yourself you're okay and you're ready to be here again but you're not. Just seeing you look at these pictures and what Kendall told me..." I stood up from my seat fast and glared down at him.

"Whatever Kendall told you is none of your buisness. I am an adult, in case everyone here forgot. And I am also a cop. This is my job and I am damn good at it. So if you don't want to do this case with me..." I grabbed the folder and turned, heading to the door.

"Jessica wait." Logan's stern soft voice made my feet freeze as I stared at the handle on the door clenching my free hand down at my side. "I know you feel betrayed by Kendall for calling the two of us but he's worried about you. And to be honest so am I . There is no shame in feeling scared, or weak." I laughed quietly as I turned back to see both of them staring at me, pity written all over thier faces.

"You have no idea what I'm feeing. But it's not scared or weak, I can tell you that." James shoved his hands into his black pants and swallowed hard. "Why will no one listen to me? I want to be here, because I know every second I spend here is one less second I sit at home and think about the horrible things that man did to me." Logan sat back down and we locked eyes. "The more time I spend at work is less time I spend thinking about how he almost killed Kendall. How he almost killed me...almost let his men take turns on me." They both looked away from me and I sighed out hard. "So if you must be worried about me Logan, be my guest. But dont you dare let it affect how you see me as a detective. Don't let it change how you treat me because all I want is for things to go back to normal." I gripped onto the folder tighter in my hand seeing James look to Logan who quickly opened a drawer down at his side on his desk. He moved some things around for a few seconds before standing back up. He walked quickly around his desk and James walking right up to me. He quickly raised my badge, shinnier now, along with a 9mm gun in a holster. We locked eyes as I took them both from him and he smiled.

"Go catch me a serial killer Jess."

 **YAY SEQUAL!**

 **I KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T READING BTR ANYMORE BUT I'M STILL GONNA WRITE THEM. THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES AND WANTED TO WRITE A SECOND ONE. AS ALWAYS I WILL TAKE ONE SHOT SUGGESTIONS OR FULL STROY SUGGESTIONS. LET ME KNOW!**


	2. Chapter 2: Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

**Ain't No Rest For The Wicked**

 _ **Kendall's P.O.V.**_

I walked into my office, flicking the light on illuminating everything inside. I smirked at the stacks of papers on my desk and walked to it hastily unzipping my black leather jacker. As I sat down I turned on the monitor for my computer and sat back sighing out. I reached for the top most paper on the stack and yawned looking at the invoice for a new order we were recieving today. I was prepared to sit at my desk for the majority of the day and do mind numbing paperwork. I wanted the numbness to encompass my brain. I didn't want to think about anything especially with anything related to Jessica. Including the crazy mob boss out on the loose. And including the doctors appoitment she had at 4:30 this afternoon. The appoitment that would tell us weather she was pregnant or not. Throwing myself into work would be the only thing that would block all of those thoughts out.

I was barely into my third phone call to confirm an order when Carlos walked into my office. He sat in front of my desk and raised one leg up to his knee bouncing both rapidily. I frowned leaning back in my chair and ended my conversation on the phone. As soon as I hung up he pulled his phone out of his pocket and threw it on my desk. "I just got a call from Robbie. Because you were gone for a while no one really knew what the fuck to do with all this paperwork, and I am 100% guilty of that myself, but Robbie just got a call from one of the new low life assholes we gave a job too. He has been scamming us the past couple weeks, delivering goods, and changing the order to make it look like we gave them too much, when he was just pocketing the left over." I sat up slowly one eyebrow raised and he nodded. "He's been taking booze from us, taking cash from buyers who gave too much...probably fucking the girls running in and out of here too." I shook my head openign the drawer of my desk on the bottom corner and grabbed my gun. As I raised it up, checking the chamber Carlos chuckled standing up pulling a pack of smokes out of his black hoodie. "Like the good ol' days Kendall?"

"Just like the good ol' days Carlos." I grabbed my leather jacket off the back of my chair after slipping my gun into my holder hidden under my shirt on my stomach. As i pulled my arms through the holes of my jacket Carlos's sister Melissa, came walking out of her brothers office holding out one of the office phones.

"Phone call Los. It's Roberto." He sighed out irritated but took the phone from her walking inot his office making me sigh out. I watched Melissa check her phone in her pocket and frown slipping it back in as she made her way into our tiny but reasoniable kitchen. I followed shoving my hands into my pockets of my jacket and cleared my throat.

"How's Logan doing? Carlos told me about the bodies they've found."

"If you're trying to get information on your girlfriends case don't bother. I didn't ask him details cause I don't want to know." I pulled myself up onto the counter by the coffee pot where she was making herself a cup never looking up at me.

"First off...what's with the attitude?" She snapped her head to me and I stuck my tounge out at her making her roll her eyes away from me, but smirk. "Second...didn't even know it was her case. I was simply wondering how Logan was doing." She sighed out and set the spoon down next to her mug turning to look up at me. She bit at her bottom lip and swallowed hard moving closer to me.

"Logan hasn't been sleeping. He has been talking to himself in his office. Most of the time I just go home because he forgets i'm there. Something is eating him up inside. I don't know what but it's tourturing him. It started when they found the first body." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her into me in a very big brother sort of way. She shoved her body into mine at an awkward angle, but neither of us complained. "I can't talk to Carlos about any of it either because just like every other guy I've dated, Carlos hates him."

"Carlos doesn't hate Logan. Carlos hates your past and the guys in it." She pushed off me eyebrows furrowed and I shook my head brushing hair out of her face. "How many assholes have you been with? How many guys has Carlos nearly beaten to death because of what they've done to you?"

"Logan's not like that. He really cares about me."

"And that's great sweetheart. I think Logan is a great guy for you. But Carlos has been there through every douchbag. He is putting up a gaurd. As much as he'll deny it, he's a giant softie and only want's the best for you." She shook her head and looked down shrugging. "What has he been talking to himself about?" She gave me a confused look as I slid off the counter hearing Carlos's voice come closer to us. "Logan. You said he's talking to himself." She laughed as we pulled away from each other and grabbed her coffee cup.

"At first I was worried. He kept saying Jessica's name." I felt my stomach do a billion flips just as Carlos walked in. "And because of my jealous nature I listened a little more careful." Carlos stopped next to me and Melissa smiled. "He was saying 'they look like Jessica', almost as if he was in a trance. It was like he was trying to peice something together out of nothing." She shrugged it off giving her brother a kiss to the cheek and walking out of the kitchen leaving me completly confused.

I got in Carlos's car watching him order a car to follow us, never leaving our sights. When he finally got in the driver seat he turned the heat on full blast making my frozen face start to defrost. I watched him as he put on his seatbelt and typed an address into the GPS on his dash. When he finally had everything in order he looked in his rearview mirror and laughed. "What's on your mind kid?"

"What did Roberto want? He usually only calls when it's something bad." Carlos nodded to me pulling out of our driveway in front of our huge office.

"They have been keeping a track on Don. Ever since we found out he was in Mexico with you and Jess...staying at the same hotel as you guys we've been watching him." Carlos relaxed a bit in his seat and rolled down his window as he lit a cigarette. He offered one to me and I gladly took it letting him light it for me. "Well when I first heard he was there I wanted Roberto to take him out for us. But the amount of secruity this guy has on him is fucking stupid. At least two guys with him at all times." I nodded knowing all this information since Carlos told me all of it this morning. "So I asked him to just watch him. Tell me if he leaves. Tell me when he makes a new business deal. That sort of shit." I nodded again as he pressed on the gas going through a green light. "Don got himself a plane ticket back home to us in Minneapolis." I felt my throat swell thinking about it and looked away from him inhaling sweet smoke from my cigarette. "Now normally, I wouldn't even consider doing what I'm about to do because of who I am and what i've been doing almost my whole life. But..." I watched as Carlos turned down a street I had never been down and sat up a little seeing red and blue flashing lights about 100 yards in front of us. I snapped my head to him quick and watched him shake his head. "I know you don't want Jessica to know all this yet but I think you need to give her the benefit of the doubt. She's a cop man. I think we need to let them deal with it. Let Logan and Jess and James take him down." He turned his head to me as he pulled up on a curb and shut the car down quick. "I asked Logan if we could meet him here. You might want to put your gun in the glove compartment." Before I could even ask questions, or yell at him for lying to me, he was out of the car pulling his hood up on his head.

I got out of his car anger oozing out of every pore, slamming the door hard. I let my cigarette hang from my lips as I looked behind the car, noticing the two guys he told to follow us were no longer with us. They probably got to kill the son of a bitch whoes been stealing from us while I have to face Jessica and tell her the mad man who kidnapped and almost killed her was coming back into town. I hated Carlos for the whole thing and glared at the back of his head walking towards him. He was standing by a line of police tape talking to a uniformed officer. They were both smiling. I exhaled the smoke quickly flicking the ashes off my cigarette as I got next to him. The officer gave me a slight nod of the head but I ignored him. Just as I was taking another puff from my cigarette Logan got out of a little sports car putting his phone in the pocket of his long black coat. When he got to us, he excused the uniformed officer and walked underneath the police tape shaking hands with Carlos. "I have to admit Carlos...i'm a little shocked you're filling me in on your information." Carlos laughed but shrugged turning to me. Logan looked at me and frowned. He glanced over his shoulder and I followed his gaze. Standing under a huge oak tree looking down at the ground, writing something in a small notebook was the love of my life. "She's not gonna like hearing any of this. But she needs to know. Just incase he tries something."

"He won't have the chance if I get to him first."

"Kendall..." I looked away from Jessica who was now squatting down, James right next to her, looking at the body on the ground. "He's on his way back here. He got his own private plane and all. He is constantly being protected. I have a lot of faith in my abilities but..."

"Not the arsenal." I saw both turn to me as I flicked the cigarette out of my hand and sighed out shoving my hands into my jean pockets. "She's real fragile rigth now. She keeps having nightmares about the sick fuck and she won't like hearing this." I saw Logan open his mouth but I beat him to the punch. "But she's a cop. And I know she is more than capable of taking care of herself. And the fact that James is her partner doesn't hurt." Logan sighed out and smiled small turning slightly to look over his shoulder.

"Benson. Diamond." When I saw both of them stand and turn, my heart skipped a beat. The wind blew hard, making her hair only pined back by a black claw clip, whip around her face. I saw her smile as she started walking towards us, James right behind her. Jessica looked down at her notepad, flipping it closed, which scent her pen flying. I couldn't hear them but he said something making both of them laugh and she bent donw picking the pen up. What really seemed to make a bomb go off in my head was as soon as she was bent over in front of him, he stopped walking and let his eyes wander down. I know because I watched her dress herself, that her ass looked exceptional in her black slim dress pants. That didn't make it okay for James to stare at her like she was a peice of meat hanging in a butcher shop. "The corener wants to take the body in before the rain destroyes anything." James and Jessica walked out from under the police tape and stood next to all of us nodding.

"I think we got eveyrthing we need. He can take her in." Logan nodded to James while Jessica walked right up to me. One of her hands rested on my chest, right over my heart as she got on tip toes and kissed my lips softly. She pulled away quick but kept her hand on me.

"What brings you two here?" I smirked tucking her hair back behind her ear as Carlos cleared his throat.

"We know where Don is." Her head snapped quick to Carlos but I was just as quick. I put one hand behind her, resting it genetly on her lower back, right above her butt. My other hand held her neck softly as I pressed my lips into her temple. "We also know he was in Mexico when Kendall and Jessica were. He was right there with them. No one knew at all." I felt her start to push at me but I just held her closer and tighter to me. "Usually I don't go to cops but the stakes are a little higher. Were gonna give you guys all the information we have, and let you deal with him. I'll still have my guys track him even while he's here but you'll have a better chance at getting him than us." This time Jessica used more strength than I was prepared for and shoved me off her.

"Is that what you two were talking about this morning?" All eyes fell on me as she shook her head clenching her fists down at her sides. "How many secerets are you going to keep from me Kendall? When are you going to start being honest with me?" I tried to walk to her, to hold her but she turned quick, to face Logan. "Anything you hear, i want to hear. I don't care if it's not my case. You will tell me everything." Logan opened his mouth but she was already gone, under the police tape walking back to her crime scene. We all watched her walk to a black pickup truck, James's, and get in slamming the door shut behind her. James whisteled low and it seemed to piss me off and remind me he was staring at her ass. It also reminded me he gets to spend everyday with her. Working close with her. Telling her jokes to make her give her beautiful little laugh. I clenched my jaw hard.

"Well we have some work to do. Let us know if you need anything captain, about Don. And we'll keep you updated on the case." James patted Logan's shoulder and gave Carlos and I a big toothy grin. I glared at him the whole way he walked to his truck and got in. I turned quick and started to walk away fast.

"Kendall she's going to eventually get over it. Just be patient." I rolled my eyes hearing Logan's plea at the same time I heard Carlos say hello. I glanced over to him as we stopped by his car and he gave me a worried look with his phone pressed to his ear. It wasn't until he said, we'll be rigth there, and hung up I gave just as a worried look. He looked panicked which panicked me.

"What's wrong?" He shook his head and leaned forward on his car looking at Logan who approached us slowly from the front of the car. "Los?"

"Melissa just called...she said there is a women there looking for you." I frowned and shrugged making him shake his head at me. "She said her name is Natalie Benson." I froze, with my hand on my door handle just as he spoke to clarify. "It's Jessica's mom."


	3. Chapter 3: Somebody Got Murdered

**Somebody Got Murdered**

 _ **Jessica's P.O.V.**_

"Alright lady...a chicken burrito, and a regular coke, little ice." I simply hummed a response back to James who walked in front of me, blocking my view of the white board, momentarily. I squinted my eyes at the dozen pictures on the board, with different lines, and words written across it. Nothing looked rigth to me. The fact that all these pictures were of bloody broken, young women wasn't the problem. I'm a homicide dectective so this wasn't new. It was the fact that while all these women were killed, how they were killed, was really messing with my head. Two of the women were choked to death. The other two had thier throats sliced open. The killings were so horrific it almost didn't seem real. "What are you thinking?" I shrugged slightly and sat on the edge of the huge table crossing my legs over each other and folding my hands in my lap.

"There were no missing persons reports for any of these women. Yet the corener sad all four have been dead for almost 72 hours." I glanced up and over to see James staring at the white board shoving what looked like a street taco in his mouth. "So whoever killed these women had them for at least three days before he killed them. Which means they must have been tortured." I turned back to the board hearing my stomach growl and felt my mouth go dry.

"So a serial killer kidnapps four women, most likely within hours of each other, kills them and puts their bodies out in the public without being seen, and still no one has come forward." I shook my head turning my body to look behind me and reached for a brown bag with my lunch in it. "This was very clearly the work of a man with a plan. He chose his victims based on the fact that they had no one close to them." I opened up my burrito and took a small bite watching him walk to the board pulling out a black marker from his pocket. "So we can guess on the why he chose them...lived by themselves, two college students, with very few friends in their lives. The other two worked in the same building, both have just moved here within 6 months of each other."

"So they were lonely. He didn't think anyone would care, or miss them." James nodded as he continued to write on the board, and I pulled myself up completly onto the table swinging my legs as I stared at his back. I absolutely hated how good looking James was. He was completly ripped. His muscels had muscels. His back was in a strong tense hold of those muscels and his plain white button up shirt was so tight if he exhaled out a deep breath, he'd rip it at the seams. It wasn't like I was attracted to James, because I thought he was egotistical jackass who thought he was God's gift to women, but he was so good looking it was a little distracting.

"So is that our why? Is that his motive?" I glanced up to his face as he turned back to me and stood next to me sitting on the table. "Did he simply kill these women because he could and didn't think he'd get caught cause no one cares?"

"We care." He chuckled and nodded going back to his taco. "That motive seems to broad." I slid off the table setting my burrito down and took the marker from his hand not holding the taco and went to the board. "We can't comb the whole city looking for lonley women. We need another connection." I started to write, underneath his writing of lonely, young women, just as the door behind us opened and shut quickly. I turned and smiled small at Logan who walked in looking donw at a folder in his hands.

"So i got some reports back for you guys. Still working on the fourth victim but I found out something interesting." He glanced up as he stood next to James and I turned slwoly capping the marker. "All three women had thier hair dyed very recently." I bunched my eyebrows together and crossed my arms over my chest. "The guys down in the lab were able to find out that our first three victims had thier hair dyed in less than 24 hours of being found."

"So after they were killed?" Logan nodded and flipped over a page he was looking at. "The sick fuck dyed thier hair brown? Why?" James turned to me before looking at the board behind me.

"I don't know. But there is more." I frowned and slouched a little seeing his face go red. "Every girl was abused sexually, before and after being murdered. Whoever did this used protection but was rather rough. Our first victim had vaginal tearing and serious trauma to her rectum." When Logan looked up our eyes found each other and he swallowed hard making his Adam's apple bounce up and down a couple times. "The way they described it, it seemed like after the first one, he got more gentle. He wasn't as rough or abusive as the first, to the second and third." James shook his head shoving the rest of his taco in his mouth and walked to me. He took the marker from my hand and quickly went to writing on the board. "I want you guys to go down to the office the last two victims worked at. See if you can find anything out about some cowokers." I nodded as Logan set the folder on the table and put his hands in his pockets. "Be careful out there guys, seriously." I nodded again and he breathed out hard, turned and walked out leaving the door wide open. I walked to the table and grabbed my burrito taking a huge bite, turning to James. He had contued to write out what I had started writing, and then wrote raped, and dyed hair. When he finished he capped the marker and turned to me tossing the marker on the tabel by me.

"So are even going to talk about your fight with Kendall?" I groaned quietly shoving the rest of my burrito in my mouth and spun. I grabbed my untocuhed foam cup of soda, my phone and a folder shoved with papers of addresses and names of people who we could try to contact about our victims. "I've known Kendall for three years Jess. He's never been with a woman like you before." I nodded not really paying attention as I slipped on my jacket and walked out of the room, him following after quick. "I know you don't like being lied too. No one does. But did you ever stop to think maybe the reason he did lie to you is because he's scared?" I paused by the elevator door and let him hit the down button. "When we walked into that room you were tied in...well before we did, he was convinced we were going to find you dead. Do you have any idea what that did to his mental state? Is it any wonder he stayed back to kill as many guys as he did?" I frowned looking down at my feet as I shuffeled them, feeling like a complete idiot. "Don is the first adversary Kendall has had, where he didn't win. And the fact that you are terrified out of your mind about that son of a bitch doesn't help. He feels like he's failed you Jess." I walked into the elevator quick and avoided eye contact with him as he followed in.

We stayed completly quiet as we rode down to the garage, and got in his truck. He turned the heat on but kept his stereo off as we pulled out onto the street. I set the folder with the first address in between us on the seat and sat back, trying to talk myself into the apology speech I was going to give Kendall when I got home tonight. James made alot of sense on what he said about Kendall and it made me sad. I'm not use to being with a man who loved me so much it hurt him. Phsyically and probably mentally. I felt bad but my pride was always my strongest characteristic.

I hated realized we were at our first stop until I heard his door open. I quickly unbuckeled myself from my seat and got out of the truck, making sure my gun was in my holster. As soon as I shut my door and walked around the front of the truck, I stopped. Walking out of the building we were going too, was a man that in my years as a detective here, was always causing trouble. He had been to jail a few times for petty theft and robbery but recently has had a clean slate. However, as soon as I stepped up onto the sidewalk, he spotted me and his smile faded. "Hey there Jimmy!" He dropped the binder full of papers he was holding and quickly took off on foot. I groaned turning to James and just as fast as Jummy took off, I followed.

"Benson! Wait!" I ignroed James as I ran down the sidewalk, following Jimmy who was shoving past people and making some fall over. I took my badge off my hip and found my voice.

"Police! Stop!" He continued to run making me that much more irritated. "Clear the sidewalk!" Several people moved out of my way and just as Jimmy turned a corner, after crossing the street, a huge city bus blocked my path. i slowed down quick, putting my badge back on my hip. As I stopped I grabbed my gun and cocked it taking a deep breath in, as I walked around the back of the bus. I dodged traffic, turning down the same alleyway Jimmy went down. I kept my gun down at my side as I scaled the wall looking around. As I was about to turn down into another alleyway, I heard a thud and then what sounded like a body hit the floor. I turned quick and raised my gun, both hands shaking. However as soon as I saw James bending over picking Jimmy up from the wet floor, i lowered my gun and hurried to them. "Why did you run Jimmy?" I put my gun back in my holster and spun Jimmy to face me.

"You always take me in for bullshit reasons." I frowned looking at James who was giving me an odd look.

"Jimmy is the city thief. Can't seem to keep his sticky hands to himself. Is that what all those papers were that you dropped? Someone else's?" I looked back to Jimmy who quickly raised himself up tall, mouth hanging open.

"For your information they were papers I need to fill out for my new job. I just was given a new job!" I frowned raising a hand and setting it on the wall by him.

"Really? What's th job then, Jimmy?"

"Front desk receptionist for the lawyer up there. Go ask him yourself." I pushed off the wall feeling something odd rush into my brain. Our latest victim was the receptionist for a lawyer. Probably the one we were just going to go see. "Can I go now? Seeing as I haven't done anythign wrong?" I nodded quick and moved out of his way letting him shoulder check me as he went. James seemed to deflate watching him walk away and I gently pushed him after Jimmy, walking beside him.

"Do you think Jimmy had anything to do with the murders?" I shook my head watching Jimmy look back at us over and over again.

"No. But our last victim...didn't she work here? Wasn't she a receptionist?" James nodded and I frowned. "Maybe she pissed off the wrong person. Like her lawyer boss."

"How does that explain the other three victims?" I shrugged feeling a buzz from my pocket and pulled out my phone. I stopped short feeling my lunch turn in my stomach. "What's wrong?" I looked up fast and swallowed hard smiling small.

"I didn't realize what time it was James. I have a doctors appoitment in fifteen minutes." He nodded quick and pulled his own phone out. "Her office is literally a block away. I can go to it, and meet you back here. If you want to do some interviews without me, your probably should." He nodded again and I gave a soft smile. "I'll call you when I'm out." He smiled back at me and went to turn to the office door, but stopped. I shoved my hands in my pockets of my jacket and he turned back to me.

"Is it a doctor for your back?" I shook my head feeling my cheeks blush. "What kind of doctor has an office in the heart of downtown?" I raised an eyebrow and after a few seconds it cliked in his head and his cheeks turned red like mine. "Oh...nevermind...have a good time..I mean..." He stopped and I laughed walking to him. I squeezed his forearm making him look down.

"It's alright. I'll be back sometime after five." He nodded and turned away quick, rubbing the back of his neck, whole face red from embarrasment. As soon as he disappeared into the building my smile fell off my face and i felt a horrible knot form in my heart. I didn't want to go to the doctor for fear of what she might tell me, but knew the sooner I found out, the better I might feel.

Maybe.


	4. Chapter 4: Underneath It All

**Underneath It All**

 _ **Kendall's P.O.V.**_

I couldn't stop staring at the woman sitting at my dining room table, talking and laughing with my best friend. She looked so relaxed and at ease. Her wine glass in front of her would get low of the blood red liquid but would always get refilled by Carlos. If I didn't know any better, I would think Carlos liked her. Liked her alot. The woman was at least 20 or 30 years older than Carlos but he didn't seem to mind. But I did. Because she wasn't just an attractive older women giggeling and showing off an impressive amount of cleavage. She was my girlfriends mom. My girlfriends mother was flirting and getting drunk with my best friend. As if I didn't have enough on my plate already.

I looked away from the two giggling adults at my table, and looked at the stove. It was almost 7, whch meant Jessica was working late, and I was going to have to spend more time standing in my kitchen pretending to clean and cook, just so I didn't have to see the flirting first hand. I really wanted to call her, tell her to come rescue me and tell her mom she was okay. Because that's why Natalie was here. She heard from her TV her daughter was hurt on the job. It killed her to find out Jessica didn't call her but I hadn't nothing to say on the matter. Jessica has never talked about her parents. I knew her dad was ex S.W.A.T and her mom was a school teacher. That was all I knew. I didn't ask too much because if it was like my relationships with my parents, it was volatile. "So do you need any help out here?" I dropped the sponge into the sink and swallowed hard turning to Natalie, who was literally beside me. I shook my head and smiled small picking my sponge back up, and continued to scrub the frying pan. "I have a feeling Jessie didn't tell you about me or her dad." I frowned shaking my head keeping my head down. I saw in the corner of my eye her grab a dish towel and start drying the dishes beside her on the drying mat. "We divorced in her senior year of high school. I don't think she was okay with it as she led on. But always told us she was fine. Since then we drifted apart. I know a lot of it has to do with the fact that she lived with her dad the rest of her senior year and I know he told her lie after lie about me but..." I looked over at her seeing her walking to the fridge. I shut off the water putting the frying pan on the drying mat and walked up behind her. She put the coffee mug she was drying between her arm and her body as she reached out and grabbed a picture hanging on the fridge door. It was of Jessica and I at the hotel we were staying at. She was smiling wide, as I dipped her on the dance floor. One of the bell boys snapped the picture for us and between the two of us, I couldn't remember who was more drunk. But it didn't matter because we both looked happy. Genuinely.

"She's sort of a hard shell to break open. But I think each day that passes, it's getting easier to open up to me." She chuckled turning back to me and I gently took the coffee mug from her. "I know, no matter what happened between you two, she loves you and will be happy to see you." She nodded looking down just as Carlos came walking in the kitchen, holding onto a beer bottle.

"So I figured Logan and James will want to meet you, and I don't think Jessica will mind, and if it's alright with you, I invited them over for dinner. They all just left the station about 10 minutes ago." I nodded and shrugged at the same time. Natalie excused herself quietly saying she was going to freshen up and as soon as she left I smacked Carlos in the stomach hard. He coughed out backing away and put up his hands.

"That is the mother of my girlfriend. Do you think you could keep your dick in your pants for once?" Carlos laughed walking past me and opened the fridge. He grabbed two beers handing one over to me slamming the door shut hard.

"She is a very, very attractive single women who happens to like my sexy Spanish ass, and has amazing tits for a woman her age. I'll do whatever that woman asks me, especially if it has to do with my dick." I rolled my eyes taking a beer from him and popped off the top. "She is genuinely worried about her daughter. I am only being nice to her because you've been a brick wall since metting her."

"It's weird man." I leaned against the counter and put my free hand into my pocket. "I didn't think I'd be meeting her mom under the current situations." Carlos opened his mouth, to no doubt say something that would piss me off but he was cut off. We both heard the front door open and her soft, sweet little voice saying hello to her two dogs. I pushed off the counter setting the beer on it as I went. When I got out into the living room, she was hanging her Army green jacket on the hook by the door, while also kicking out of her shoes. I smirked as she turned to me, smile as big and beautiful as ever.

"Is Carlos here?" I nodded and opened my mouth to tell her, her mother was too but she rushed to me. She grabbed my left hand and started tugging on me, down our long hallway. When she pulled me in our room I laughed walking to the bed. I sat down and watched her shut and lock our bedroom door. The laughing died in my throat as she walked right up to me and set both hands on my shoulders. "I went to my doctor appoitment." I felt the color drain from my face and held very still as she pushed me back a little and climbed on my lap. Her legs went outside my own body, which made her crotch rub ever so slightly down on mine. "I'm not pregnant Kendall." Her voice whispered into my ear as her fingers traced through my hair on the back of my neck. I closed my eyes hard and moved my hands up her thighs, all the way behind her, stopping on her ass. I gripped onto each cheek as her lips tugged at my ear lobe make my spine tingle. "DId you hear me?" I laughed opening my eyes and pulled her down with me, as I laid on the bed. She put her hands outside my head and brushed her nose against mine.

"So this is a happy conversation, right?" She nodded puckering her lips and kissing mine softly. "I love you." She sat up fast getting completly up on her knees. I put both hands behind my head as she tore off her shirt exposing her tan soft stomach to me. Even before her shirt was on the ground her hands were working on the clasp for her bra. I could feel myself getting hard watching her undress herself but there was a laugh from our living room that made me snap back to reality. I sat up fast wrapping my arms around her back as her hands went to my face. "There is someone here to see you." She stopped inches from my face and I smirked. "I would love, absolutely love, to screw you silly right now but..." I gently moved my hands up over her scarred back making her moan quietly. I stopped in the middle of her back. "Your mom is here to see you." Her hands left my face and she sat back on my lap frowning.

"It's taken you this long to tell me?" I looked down at her bare chest and swallowed hard knowing we were about to have a fight. But she never raised her voice. She didn't even shove me like she did earlier today. "I'm sorry about today." I looked back up in her eyes and her cold hands were back on my face. "If you want to talk to someone...if you need to let off some steam because of what he did to us, you can do whatever you need." I moved my hands down to her hips and squeezed making her put her own hands on mine. She pushed them off but locked our fingers together. "I know I have been an absolute terror with the crying than screaming then trying to have sex with you...I appreciate everything you've done for me." I leaned in and kissed her chin as she sighed over me. "Did my mom try to get in your pants?" I pulled back quick and she laughed getting off me. She picked her bra up off the floor and snapped it on while I stood up.

"No but Carlos is acting like a teenager again. Your mom is really doing it for him." She made a gagging noise and I nodded. "Why would she try to get in my pants?"

"Because my mom is a whore." I put my hands on my hips as I watched her pull her shirt back on.

"She's here because she heard about what happened to you. She is worried about you." She nodded taking a clip out of her hair and throwing it to her desk by the window.

"Lets just go get this over and done with." She put out a hand to me wiggeling her fingers, which I happily took.

I let her lead me down the hall and into our living room where the laughter from several voices could be heard. I sighed out hating Carlos, and followed her all the way to the kitchen. When she stopped in the entry way I kissed the back of her head seeing five pairs of eyes fall on us. I walked out from around her and went to the stove where a pot of boiling water was bubbling out onto the hot cook top. "Oh Jessie." I glanced over my shoulder to see Jessie get pulled in by her mother and hugged her hard. I smirked looking back at my boiling pasta.

"Hey man. How ya doing?" I could only nod hearing Logan getting beside me, putting a beer bottle on the counter next to us. "Do you think we could talk outside?" I looked over at him fast and he put up a hand. "Just a quick talk." I nodded turning, to follow him out. I looked at Carlos, Melissa, and James sitting at the table talking quietly while Jessie led her mom out into the living room, both already crying. He held the door open for me making me instantly regret not putting on a sweater. It was still raining hard, and the wind was starting to pick up. i shoved my hands into my jean pockets and shivered as he got in front of me, smiling small. "You both got so fucking tan."I smiled but it fell seeing him turn very serious quickly. "This new case I put her and Diamond on...it's really fucking with me." I nodded not really sure what this had to do with me, but let him continue. "The first girl we found, when you guys were still in Mexico, I swear to you man I thought it was Jessica." I felt my eyebrows scrunch together as he looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "And then the second one showed up...and the third." I crossed my arms over my chest and started to feel my breathing picking up speed. "All of them, including this new girl we found this morning look a lot like Jess. It's fucking me up dude."

"It's a serial killer?" He nodded his head shrugging. "Do you think it's got something to do with Jessica?"

"I don't know. The crime scenes are so clean dude. There are no prints...nothing to tie Jessica, or a suspect to this at all. But we just found out today every girl had her hair dyed to match Jesse's hair color. And this victim from this morning. She was tattooed on her lower back and her left hip...the same tattoo's Jessie has." I started to feel dizzy and nasueas at the same time as he got closer to me. "How the fuck do I tell her any of this? This with all the Don shit? This girl is going to loose her God damn mind man."

"Why would you put her on the case Logan?"

"Because she's one of the best detectives I have. If anyone is going to solve this case it will be her and James." I frowned putting my hands donw at my sides blinking rain drops away. "Just be prepared for tomorrow. I have to tell her soon. I just want you to know incase she goes postal or something." I felt my head nod but hated that I agreed to anything at this point. "Also her birthday is coming up soon. She hates parties but she loves cake." I heard a small laugh escape my lips but nothing in my life, at this point, was funny.


	5. Chapter 5: She Wants Revenge

**She Wants Revenge**

 _ **Jessica's P.O.V.**_

I felt weird watching her get in the passenger seat of Carlos's tiny sports car. Mostly because I knew she was drunk. Or at least tipsy. It made me cringe thinking about how quick he was to offer to take her back to her hotel. But she seemed happy with the thought and because I was irritated with her, and her just showing up randomly, I didn't argue on her ride choice. I gave a big smile as she waved at me from the passenger seat and Carlos pulled out of our driveway, peeling out as he went off. As soon as they were gone, my smile faded. I went to turn to go back into my house but two arms wrapped around me holding me up against a tight, warm body. "I don't think Carlos will do anything stupid." I laughed letting Kendall kiss my neck, and closed my eyes.

"Carlos wont need to do anything. My mom is really good at what she does." He sighed, blowing air into my ear and I shivered. "Take me to bed Kendall." Without saying one word I was lifted carefully and put in the arms of my love. I opened my eyes and crossed my legs over each other as he readjusted me in his arms. I let one of my hands run thorugh his hair that had fallen flat since he gelled it this morning. My other hand rested on his chest, pushing under the old band T-shirt he had on. I looked right at his face as we walked in the house and he looked around me. I could hear talking from the kitchen but blocked it from my head. His arms held around me tight enough to let me know he wouldn't drop me, but soft enough to let me know he was going to be gentle with me. Sometimes I liked the gentle Kendall. Sometimes, like now, I wanted the super rough, sexy bad boy I fell in love with. It didn't take alot for him to switch to that and I knew exactly what to do to get him there.

"Why don't you get into bed and I'll kick everyone out." I nodded looking in our room as he walked me to the bed. Instead of throwing me, like usual, he set me down softly leaning into me as he did. He kissed my nose as my head laid against the pillow and I frowned. He stood up straight and turned walking out fast. I groaned as I pushed myself up and waited until he was completely out of the room and crawled out of the bed, running to the bathroom. I flicked on the light and ran a hand through my hair glancing at the makeup on my face. It all looked okay still so I took the socks off my feet throwing them to the hamper and popped off the button on my pants. I pulled the zipper down fast and shimmied out of them tossing them to the hamper as well. I went to turn to get back on the bed, taking my white shirt off, but stopped. I caught a glimpse of my back and felt sick. How in the world could he still want me?

Instead of getting in a sexy pose on our bed, I grabbed my black bag from my desk and pulled back the blanket on the bed, buttoning my shirt back up on my chest. I knew we woudln't be having sex tonight, because, again, why would he want to? And I honestly had a billion and one things to look over for my case so I figured while he cleaned the kitchen, which he said he didn't mind doing, I'd get some work done. Hopefully. But no matter how distracting the pictures were in my folder, my gross body, and my mom suddenly appering in town shook me. She cried as soon as we started talking and as much as I wanted to feel pity, I couldn't. My mom was never a very nurturing woman. For as long as I could remember she was always flirting with any guy that came around. including boyfriends of mine when I was in high school. She didn't care that they were 15 and 16 year old boys. They gave her attention. They said under thier breaths what great tits she had. No wonder I had so many guy friends. I know it all wasn't her fault. My dad was always working, being a cop in L.A. and all, but it was no excuse to fuck every one you worked with. When my dad told me that was why she left us in my senior year, I learned to only have one feeling for her. Hate.

I looked up from my open folder on my lap hearing the front door open and then close and sighed out. I raised the picture on the top of my file and looked back down looking at our second victim. I shook my head seeing the long cut on her throat and went to raise it to look at more pictures. But something stopped me. I quickly raised the photo while reaching for the light switch next to my bed. As soon as the light illuminated the photo in my hands i let out a huge gasp. I quickly kicked off the blankets on my body and ran out of the room, not really caring that I was only in my work shirt and a pair of tiny panties. When I got out to the living room, i felt reliefe seeing James heading to the front door. He didn't look very happy but I got in front of him, blocking him from the door. "Jess..." His eyes wondered down my naked legs but I put the picture in front of him fast. "What?" He lowered the photo frowning and I shook my head.

"Look in the mess of her hair." He raised his eyebrows looking back at the picture and shrugged. "James something is in her hair." He pulled the picture up closer but brought it back down frowning. "It's a Black-Eyed Susan flower."

"Okay?" I groaned quietly and pushed past him going back to my room. I grabbed three more pictures, one of each of our other victims. As i suspected as soon as I gto out to James, all four victims had a flower somewhere near them. All of them had it around thier faces, or tangeled in thier hair. "What does a flower in her hair matter?" I walked back out to him, him still by the door, and gave him the other pictures making him still shrug and frown. "I'm lost Jess. What does it matter that these flowers are around our vic's?"

"Because Black-Eyed Susans only bloom in the summer. It's almost December James." He bunched his eyebrows together and looked back donw at the pictures. "Whoever did this, has to have a green house." He smirked and nodded looking over the pictures again.

"How do you knwo all this?" I smiled small and shrugged, opening my mouth but I was cut off. By Kendall. Standing behind James.

"Because they are her favorite flowers." James jumped and turned, looking directly at Kendall who was looking directly back at him. I rolled my eyes knowing Kendall had a slight jealousey problem. "I thought you were leaving James?" James nodded fast and turned. He handed the pictures back to me without looking at me and opened the front door.

"See you at work Benson." The door slammed shut hard making me jump. I glared at Kendall, feeling anger rise from the bottom of my toes to the top of my head.

"What the hell was that about? He's my partner Kendall. We have a case to work." He chuckled walking rigth to me and stopped inches from me. I had to crane my neck to look into his brilliant green eyes, which made me feel like he had the upper hand.

"I know how he looks at you. I know what he's thinking about you. I told him if he continues to do so I'm breaking his fucking legs." I shoved at his chest hard and turned going into our bedroom slamming the door behind me. I clenched my hand not holding the photos down at my side and walked back to my side of the bed. I heard the bedroom door open but ignored him climbing back into bed. "Do you find him attractive?" I didn't look up or even acknowledge I heard him. I simply grabbed a pen and my notebook and started to write down my findings about the flower. "Is that a yes Jess? Or are you too busy thinking about what his dick looks like?" I looked up slowly from my notebook to see him glaring down at me hands inside his jean pockets. "Or do you not have to think since you've already had it." I shook my head throwing my notebook and pen to the bed beside me. i kicked out of bed again and walked to him. I shoved him by his shoulder and then pushed him towards the door.

"Get the hell out! Sleep on the couch you fucking asshole!" He grabbed my arms faster than I could comprehend and held them down at my sides, hard. He shoved into me until we walked in the wall by one of our windows. "Let me go. You're being a suspicious prick and I don't want to be around you right now." I tried to get out of his grasps but he squeezed harder. He bent down ever so slitghly to get down to my eye level and seeing his calm face only pissed me off more. Here I was, completly irritated and getting hot and flustered, while he was as cool as a cucumber.

"Has he tried anything on you?"

"No and he never will!" I again tried to wiggle out of his grasp but eventually gave up. "And did it cross your mind to think if he did try anything I wouldn't take care of it myself?!" He stood up straight and sort of loosened his grasp but I still couldn't get out of his hands.

"I'm sorry." I flattened up against the wall behind me, ignoring the pounding in my back. "I don't want you to work this case anymore Jessica." I frowned looking down at his chest breathing hard. "I don't know if you realize this, but your job is really dangerous."

"And yours isn't?" I looked up quick and he chuckled looking away, out our window. "Kendall..." Before I finished, his lips were pushing into mine and his hands were gripping my hips. I put both hands on his stomach and pushed into him, opening my mouth letting his tongue swipe in. I pushed him all the way to the bed and shoved him on it. As he laid back, his hands started to work on his belt, his mind apparently on the same wave length as mine. I went to start unbuttoning my shirt but my hands were roughly shoved away and before I could stop him, Kendall ripped...literally ripped my shirt off. A few of my buttons flew off and I watched with my mouth slightly open. I didn't have any time to even question what was happening. He was standing in front of me and was roughly pulling my shirt off my arms. I looked down as my body came into veiw and he pulled my top off. As soon as it touched the ground he was pulling his own shirt off. I wanted to say something. Something along the lines of you can't threaten my partner, but no words came out. Instead he put his hands back on me and turned us so I was up against the bed. He pushed me back, all the way back so I was lying flat and he raised my legs. I let him tug my panties off and gripped the blanket under me seeing a crazy look flash over his face. I swallowed hard as he threw my underwear without a care and pushed my legs open. I went to grab one of his hands but he moved it quick, shoving three of his fingers inside me. I squeezed my eyes shut hard and arched my back now really gripping the blanket under me. I let out a hard breath just as I felt his lips brush against my clit. I sucked the breath back in and opened my eyes raising my head to look at him. He was kneeling down by our bed, one hand still being used to finger me, while the other gripped the back of one of my thighs. "Kendall..." My voice came out as a whine as I fell flat against the bed and turned my head back and forth feeling ecstacy coarse through me as he started to eat me out.

I laid over his hot sweaty body an hour later, both of us panting and completly nude. My head was lying on his chest while one of his hands traced over a few closed up scars on my back. His other hand was being held with mine. I felt at ease. I really wanted to get a drink of water but my spot on top of his was too good to loose. Eventually his fingers tracing my back fell off me and his soft breathing turned into heavy breathing, letting me know he was sound asleep. Just feeling him relaxed fully under me made my own eyes close and let my body mold over top of him as I let flashes of us having hot crazy sex run through my head. I smiled snuggling into him, yawning quietly, as to not wake him. But us laying together and being peacful didn't last long.

Three loud, scary knocks pounded out from our living room into our bedroom, making both of us sit up fast. I actually didn't have any other option because Kendall shot up, one hand gripping onto the back of my head while the other wrapped around my back. i held onto his shoulders as we locked eyes, only the moonlight on us. I swallowed hard and opened my mouth but he shook his head softly. I pressed my lips together hard and put my hands down between our naked bodies. I went to reach for my purse on the nightstand but he stopped me. However, I pulled away from him fast, taking the bed sheet with me. I wrapped it tight around me and grabbed my gun out of my purse. "Jess..." His voice was hushed so I ignored it. I cocked my gun and rushed to our bedroom door. As I walked out it, scaling down the hallway wall, I heard a drawer open behind me, probably Kendall getting a gun. I continued anyway and stopped right by our front entrance, swallowing a hard lump in my throat. I stood in the silence waiting to hear any kind of noise, but there was nothing. I exhaled sharply and walked to the door getting on tip toes, to look through the peephole. I was half expecting to see a face...in particualr Don's face, but there was nothing. I frowned and reached for the handle only to have my hand grabbed. I continued to look at the door as Kendall walked around me. I saw in the corner of my eye him get by me, in a pair of boxers, gun slowly raising. I saw him nod his head, which told me to open the door which I did. As soon as it was open, I stepped back and raised my gun with him, only to have both of us lower it. There was no one on the proch. It was compeltly quiet outside, except for the soft tapping of rain hitting the street and cars outside. I stepped out quick looking around the corner and shook my head sighing out. As I turned to step back in the house my foot stepped on something which made me feel panicked. I turned on the porch light fast and went still. Sitting on our welcome mat was a large yellow envelope. I bent down quick and tore it open looking at Kendall. He honestly looked worried as I reached inside and grabbed what I had to assume were photographs. As i pulled them out, i stepped back in the house letting him shut the front door. The first picture I saw was of Kendall and I. It was taken not an hour ago when we first started to have sex. Actually, I was on my back, legs up as he fingered and ate me out. My stomach turned as I flipped to the next page and looked up at Kendall. The next picture was of me on top of Kendall, bouncing on him as he hit inside me hard. I felt the pictures and folder taken from my hands and gladly let him.

"Someone was right outside this house." I found his eyes in my blurry, frightened vision and fell back against the door. "Someone really likes seeing you nude." He turned another picture over to me which was of me walking from the bed, to the bathroom minutes after we finished. Which was literally about 10 minutes ago. "You need to call Logan." I nodded watching him shove the photo's back in the envelope and turn. "I'm going to call Carlos." I swallowed a hard lump in my throat knowing exactly what that meant.

All hell was going to break loose.


	6. Chapter 6: Aint Too Proud To Beg

**Aint Too Proud To Beg**

 _ **Kendall's P.O.V.**_

I hated how stressed out and worried she looked. I was unable to do anything for her at the current time and that made it worst. I could say nothing at all to make her feel okay. I failed her, once again, and it made me feel hopeless. If i continued to just sit here and wallow in my own self pity, it would only get worse. But I had very specific instructions. From Jessica, and Logan. Stay at her desk, and don't make any stupid calls. I knew they were refurring to my extensive catalog of employess who I literally paid to find and kill people who crossed me. This was one of those rare times when I regretted falling for a cop. When we were in her office, I had to play by her rules. "Kendall Knight?" I looked up fast, not moving another muscle seeing a uniformed officer looking donw at me. He was a young looking guy. He actually looked like he was in high school, simply playing dress up. But his gun on his hip looked real, and so was the badge. "Man I tell you..." He pulled the chair behind James desk towards me and sat down, giving me a rather large, odd smile. "It is like I'm sitting in front of a celebrity. Even before you and Jessica started dating, everyone here knew your name." I nodded and watched him sit forward, still giving me that smile. "You have no idea how many guys you pissed off in here. Every single one of us wanted a peice of her so bad." I pushed myself up fast and gripped onto the arm rest of the swirley chair hard. He laughed sitting back down and put up his hands. "I'm not trying to get you all riled up dude. Just letting you know. I mean...I don't know what you do to make it so she doesnt have any wondering eyes, but it must be hard." I heard a door open in front of me but only saw this officer, still, smiling. "Nice talking to you man." He stood up fast and turned around, walking away fast. Just as he disappeared from my vision, both Jessica and James were in front of me.

"He's not going to like it." I stood up slowly looking at Jessica who looked like she had been crying. I reached out for her, letting her push into me sighing hard.

"Yeah well, he doesnt have a choice. He has to do as we say now." I rolled my eyes away from James seeing Logan walking out of his office, pulling his grey zip up hoodie on. I felt a little bad. I knew he's been having a hard time getting sleep and having a normal mental state. To call him just as he got home to finally get some sleep, was cruel in my mind. But I wanted, for once, to do things the legal way.

"Okay Kendall...I just got off the phone with Carlos." Logan stopped in front of us, and I stiffeled a yawn. "He's aware of the current situation with you and Jess, and confidently told me you could go back to your house, without another problem. Or if you really wanted you could sleep at the office tonight. I didn't realy want to know why he would make sure you were safe, so I didn't ask. And I never want to know." Jessica, I could tell, was looking up at me as she rested her chin on my chest. "You two do what you need to do, but not without warrants."

"We don't even have suspects yet Logan." I looked back to James who was walking to his desk.

"Yes but because of the flowers no one else but Jessica seemed to notice you have a lead. Find out where all the green houses are, and start getting names." Logan gently patted Jessica's back and hit James's huge shoulder as he walked by with the back of his hand. Without another word, Logan was gone. He left the station without telling me what he was going to do about the asshole who took pictures of my girlfriend naked.

"Why did no one else see those flowers?" I felt Jessica start to pull away from me and let her. I watched her step in front of her desk and turn on her computer moniter. Then it hit me.

"You're staying at work?" She turned to me bitting her bottom lip nodding. I chuckled out and quickly walked around her pulling my car keys out of my sweat pant pocket.

"Kendall, wait." My arm was grabbed but I yanked it out of her grasp. "Whoever took those pictures is related to my case. I know it. We all know it. We have to solve this before another girl dies." I stopped quick, just as she got in front of me, looking scared. But I couldn't see anything but red.

"Someone is going after you. Someone is killing innocent women in this city, and dying thier hair your color, and putting your tattoo's on thier bodies. This killer is making these women look exactly like you." She slumped a little but still held eye contact with me. "You shouldn't be on this case. And I shouldn't have to be the one to tell you that."

"It's my job." I closed my eyes slowly and let out a soft breath feeling her hands on my arms. "The sooner I find this guy, the sooner this all ends. You know I would never ask you to not go to work, and do your job." I opened my eyes seeing a few uniformed officers staring at us. Including James, who was standing a few feet away from both of us, arms crossed over his chest, staring.

"So you're going to stay?" Her hands left my body and I nodded clenching my jaw shut hard knowing what her answer was.

"Jess...we really don't have time for this." Hearing James's voice made something inside my head snap. Maybe it was the fact that I was scared. For once I didn't have control. And that fear made me do probably one of the dumbest things I've ever done. I turned quick, hand raising and swung hard. I came in contact with his face hard. But it was the only hit that I got in. As James fell to the ground a cop about two sizes bigger than me and even James, ran into me, pulling my arms behind my back and throwing me on the ground.

"Kendall!" Jessica's loud voice sounded pissed but for once I didn't care. I felt my hands get cuffed, which was definetly not a new experiance for me. As I was picked up, I saw a few dozen pairs of eyes on me as I was shoved hard towards a hallway. I didn't even see Jessie. I didn't even see James. But it didn't matter. I knew they were going to throw me in a jail cell for the rest of the night. I hoenstly didn't care. My anger and my fear in my head was too much to handle. Jessica clearly didn't care that a man was after her. She didn't care that this man was going to try and harm her. And the fact that neither her awesome partner, and douchebag captain didn't seem to care, really made it worse.

"No. Don't throw him in a cell. Just 86 him." I swallowed hard hearing James's voice. I knew they were both walking behind us as I was escorted out of the building but kept my mouth shut. It wasn't until my body was used to shove open the swining doors and I felt my handcuffs get pulled off, I turned fast and stared at the three people looking at me. The huge guy who cuffed me, gave me a "mean" look as he turned and went back in the building. It was Jessica and James staring at me, that made me slightly more worried though. Only because Jessica didn't look sad, like how I was expecting. She looked pissed. "I think this is the part where you thank me for not having your ass thrown in jail." James had some blood trickling out of his nose but I wasn't concerned with him. Jessica took a step towards me and I tensed up.

"Go home. Do not come back here and do not call me." She made a movement to turn but I grabbed her upper arm. Hard.

"I'm not going to be home when you decide to finally come home. That is if you aren't the next victim." She yanked out of my grasp and shook her head.

"You cannot hit my partner, and you can not threaten him. You do not control me Kendall. And I am not your property. And I'm sorry but you don't know anything about this case." I felt my shoulders sort of fall hearing her still angry at me. Instead of calling me on my bluff about not being home when she got there, she was going to continue to fight with me. "If you are going to act like a jackass I don't need you to be home when I get back." I chuckled quietly and looked over her shoulder to see James, glaring down at me. I know my blood pressure was high. And I knew if I said or did anything stupid again, she would throw me in jail. So I gave her one last, very angry look, and turned fast grabbing my car keys from my pocket.

I drove angry, and fast through town, having only one destination in mind. I knew my office would be quiet, and empty. I knew the whole building would be empty. Well except for the few guards we had walking the property at night. It would give me a chance to let off some steam and maybe do my own research on Jessica's case. However, when I finally got to the office, miraculously not getting in any accident, I felt a little happy. Carlos's car was parked in it's usual spot in the front of the building. I parked next to it and hurried inside feeling like if I knew how to cry, I probably would. But I kept my head up and flicked on some lights as I walked through the main lobby hearing a soft voice. I frowned as I made my way down the hallway, passing my closed office. I went right to Carlos's office and slowed down automatically. His light was on, and his jacket was on the back of a chair by the wall. But there was also another jacket with his. It looked a like a black leather womens jacket. I frowned as I opened my mouth to call out to him, but stopped moving all together. I distictly heard a female laugh. It almost sounded familiar. Because of that, I started to walk towards it. I wished I hadn't as I walked towards our kitchen, seeing a pair of jeans, a high heel, and one of Carlos's high top Chucks. Getting even closer to it, was a black laced bra and another pair of jeans. And when I finally stopped in the doorway of the kitchen I felt light headed. "What the..." Carlos stood up quick from his spot in the middle of the floor a bottle of red wine in hand. And then she stood up in front of him, wearing Carlos's black t shirt. Natalie.

"Dude..." Carlos gently pushed Natalie to the side and started walking towards me. I took a step back. "Logan called me. He said someone was taking pictures of you and Jess in bed. I'm going to have someone look into it for you." I felt my head nod but honestly felt like I was going to throw up. "Where's Jess?" Natalie appeared next to Carlos, cheeks beat red from embarrassment.

"Work." They both gave me an odd look but I shook my head at them turning my body, to not look at them anymore. "I'm going to be in my office doing some work of my own." I walked out quick, stepping over my girlfriends moms bra and made a B-line for the door.

As soon as I sat down in my office chair I let out a shakey breath. Of all the things to happen tonight, finding my best friend with a women twice his age seemed to be the worst. The age difference wasn't the problem. She was Jessica's mother. That was the problem. But that wasn't something I could really deal with right now. What I could do was hack into the police stations files and start to do some digging of my own. Some real dectective work. As I hacked into the system, which Carlos showed me how to do, I heard a few people walk into our building, knowing it was some employees Carlos called in. I didn't think anything of it and started to go through the list of all the new officers at Jessica's precent. The young guy who told me, basically, he wanted to fuck my girlfriend really set my whole nigth off. Besides the voyer taking pictures as we fucked after our fight. But he really got me mad at first. So I wanted to know who he was. Find out what I could use against him, if I needed to. As I scrolled through all the pictures and profiles, I heard someone walk into my office. I didn't see who it was because I found the guys picture. Officer Brad Becker. I hated his stupid face and really wanted to hit it. "What could be so important you can't even say hello?" I snapped my head to my chairs in front of my desk quick. Sitting pretty in one of them was a women I hated more than anyone. "You look like hell Kendall." Claire Smith. I guess I would call her an ex-girlfriend. More of a girl who fucked me over so many times I lost count.

"Who the hell let you in? Satan?" She flashed a pretty white smile and sat back crossing one leg over the other. I hated that my eyes found her tan long legs. Not like I could help it. She was wearing a short, tiny little black dress that left nothing to the immagination. Hearing her chuckle made me look back up at her flawless face and braided blond hair, which on any other day would make me weak.

"You still have that horrible staring problem." I looked back to my computer and swallowed hard watching her lean forward. She was showing off almost all of her tits. I bet if she really tried she could show them both in full. "Carlos called in everyone to help with something. I am going to go out on a limb here and assume the reason he called me is to help releave some of that pent up frustration you have." I sat back in my desk hard and raised an eyebrow at her nodding.

"So you don't remember the last time I kicked you out of here?"

"Too bad Carlos is the one who signs the checks though. I was invited to be here." She paused and sat back shrugging. "Besides...I dont see that cute little cop of yours around anywhere. How is that going by the way?"

"Fuck you Clarie. Get out of my office." She laughed loudly standing herself up and I shamefully looked. Her body was slim and tall. Her body made me go fucking nuts.

"I have a feeling you're going to be calling me in here in about an hour. Let me know if I should bring the condoms." She sauntered out, high heels smacking hard into the floor hard. Her dress swayed with her ass cheeks and for a split second I saw her ass cheeks. I stood up fast feeling regret and horniness run through me as I unzipped my hoodie.

"Claire." She stopped quick and looked over her shoulder batting her eyeashes at me. I simply nodded my head once and she turned, giggling. I didn't have to tell her to lock the door behind her, and when she did all I could think about how good I was about to feel for the first time tonight.

 **sorry...:(**


	7. Chapter 7: Live and Let Die

**Live and Let Die**

 _ **Jessica's P.O.V.**_

I felt like I wanted to cry. I wanted to chase after him, yelling I loved him. But I didn't. I remained still, frozen, slightly shivering. I watched him walk all he way to his black car, and get in without looking back at me once. He speed off the curb making sure the whole street heard his engine rev. I was left completly speechless by alot of what he said. The fact that he had the audocity to assume he knew anything about my case was appaling. To assume that I couldn't handle it, if it was true, was infuriating. To him, I was just another silly little women who he had to protect and control. Watching him drive off, fast and angry only made it worse. He was a stubborn jackass who had a serious jealousy problem. That wasn't the man I knew. Well, actually, as I watched James walk in front of me, giving me a stern look, something hit me. DId I even know Kendall? I've been with him for three months, three months of which he lied to me, hid things from me, almost got me killed...was this really the man I fell in love with? Or was it the man who took me out that first night, cooking me dinner at his house, which we never ate? Was it the man who made love to me that night and looked at me like I was the only girl in the world? Did I even know the real Kendall? "Jess? You alright?" I forced a big smile crossing my arms over my chest and looked donw at my feet. "I know...I know Kendall okay. I've known him for three years. He's crazy about you. Something I've never seen in him before. He loves you and..."

"We have a serial killer to catch." I looked up quick and turned just as he tried to grab me. I walked, rather aggressievly into the police station and went right to my desk. I sat down and quickly logged into my coputer, seeing out of the corner of my eye James sit at his own desk. "I'm going to check around town online to see if there are any green houses that either sell Black Eyed Susan's or even grow them." I only saw him nod and looked up to him as he logged into his own computer. He looked at me and frowned clearing his throat.

"Umm...right. Well somethign weird caught my eye when I got home from your house tonight." I nodded and leaned forward watching him pull out his own case file. "The pictures you have...who gave them to you?" I titled my head slightly and he smirked. "I'm just wondering...because whoever it was, gave you altered photos." I chuckled turning to my computer and opened up my browser.

"A little tired James?" I heard him sigh as I started to type in green houses that sold Black Eyed Susans in our zip code as he slid some pictures on top of my hands typing on my keyboard. I looked down, raising my eyebrows and he stood up pointing at our first victims messy hair.

"See any flowers in there?" I looke closer and sucked in a hard breath seeing nothing but a mess of brown hair. "Either someone in this station is trying to lead us down the wrong path, or..." I looked up and we locked eyes.

"Or someone went after the pictures were taken...like the killer and added the flowers, giving me those pictures instead." James sat down hard locking his hands together on the top of his desk.

"I think...I know you'll hate hearing this, but I think Kendall was right. Someone...the killer is coming after you. He is fucking up our pictures and either sending us on a wild goose chase or helping us solve this so he can get to you." I swallowed hard and quickly looked back to my computer screen. There were only two green houses in our city, that worked for prophet, that sold black eyed Susans. I grabbed a sticky note, and wrote down one of the phone numbers. I quickly handed it to James and picked up my desk phone looking at him.

"That is the green house at the university. They are obviously closed at 2 in the morning but ask if we can stop by when they open and ask them some questions about Black Eyed Susans." He nodded fast and picked up his own phone as I got the answering machine to the small little mom and pop shop. I quickly explained who I was and asked for them to return my call as soon as they got in. When I hung up, I stood up seeing James standing up as well, already off the phone. "So..." I quickly grabbed my cell phone and slid it into my pants pocket, walking around my desk, and towards our staircase leading down to our evidence rooms, and our small lab. "If someone in this station altered with those photos, he or she would have had to do it at the crime scene."

"But there were a slew of people there. Cops, coroner, medics...CSI. We will literally have to go through the whole list of everyone there."

"Yes but if the person who gave me the altered pictures was at the crime scene..." I stopped and looked up at him as he pulled the huge door open for me. I walked in and grabbed my ID badge off my hip waving it in front of the electronic lock. It blinked green and the door to the evidence room opened fast. I walked in holding the door for James, going right to the last row of shelves, at the end of the room. I turned donw it fast, and just as I did, I ran into someone hard. I looked up grabbing ahold of the arms and chuckled out as the uniformed officer smiled big down at me. "Sorry about that. My midn is running a thousand miles a minute." He chuckled but nodded tucking a folder under his arm squeezing between James and I. James and I looked at him until he left the room and when the door shut James walked past me and went rigth to the end of the shelf. I got rigth beside him and while he pulled out one of the four case boxes of ours, I grabbed another. "If the officer who gave me those pictures was at the crime scene there is a chance he was the one who altered them."

"And you don't remember who it was?" I sighed out and shook my head opening the box, flipping through the papers inside. "I remember hearing Logan ask someone to set up the case file for you, but I don't remember the name." I nodded pulling out a packet of paper work done at the very first crime scene and looked at the very top paper.

"Do you think you could recognize the name if you saw it?" He glanced over my shoulder as I put the paper up and he squinted donw at it. He read down the list of every person who checked in with Logan at that first grizzly murder. I watched his eyes flutter up and down the list a few times before he stopped and gently tapped on a name forcing me to look down. I looked where his finger was and frowned. "Brad Becker?" He nodded and quickly picked up where he left off looking through his box. "That's a super new name to me."

"Yeah...young kid. I think he's only like...24? He started about 4 months ago amidst the Garcia and Cristiano ordeal. I guess he's a sharp kid just a little gun shy and let a few thugs go because he got spooked. I mean...he sounds like a typical rookie cop but it looks like..." I looked up from looking at the rest of the names on my paper and watched him pull the paper out a little more. "He was at the second crime scene too." He slid the paper back into the box and turned to me, leaning against the shelf raising his eyebrows. "I'm willing to put my next paycheck on the line and say he was at the third and fourth crime scene. And when we get those calls from the green houses tomorrow, they are going to be able to give us his discription."

"But what if you are right? About someone trying to lead us down the wrong path?" He shurgged slightly setting his hand on his hip making me shake my head. "There is no way...no way in hell he would be able to get away with fucking with crime scene pictures. Someone would have caught him."

"Unless he had someone helping him." I rolled my eyes pushing the box back into the shelf and he chuckled. "Knowing that these women were taken within hours of each other...a second killer wouldn't be too far fetched." I crossed my arms ove rmy chest and smiled.

"Yeah the only problem is we dont even have one killer nailed down yet. We don't even have any prints. Just the killings of a lunatic who seems to have an obsession problem." He gently pushed the box he was looking into, back into the shelf and took a step towards me. "Do you think it's smart for me to be on this case? I mean...do you think I'm capable of handling something like this?" He gently set a hand on my shoulder and I looked down quick closing my eyes. "Between everything with Kendall, and my mom in town, to Don coming back, I just feel like one more thing is going to make me loose it. I'm going to be pushed too hard and that's it. Finding out a serial killer, or killers might be obbssesed with me is really making me feel hopeless."

"Hey..." One of his big, warm hands pushed my face up and I opened my eyes to see him looking at me smiling small. "I don't think I have seen a tougher chick than you. No one could have gone through the pain and torture you went through at the hands of that bastard as well as you did. I don't think there is any other women who has ever been able to put Kendall in his place like you have. And I don't know the problems between you and your mom but just like everything else going on around you...you're stronger than it. You are better than it. And you will get through it." I nodded slowly dropping my hands down to my sides, letting him rub my cheek gently with his thumb. "I think you need to get to sleep. You need to get yourself into some comfy pj's..." I chuckled and he did too lowering his hand from my face. "Get some sleep, and well come in later this morning and talk with the two green houses. After that we'll move on. But I promise you wont have to deal with it alone." I nodded and all the contact he had with me, left and he took a step back. "I'll send a text to Logan and update him on what we know and double check with him on who he got to make your case file." I again nodded and turned to watch him walk out of the room. I stopped him however by grabbing his arm. He gave me a weird look but I shook my head.

"You're nose James." He laughed reaching up and wiping under his nose. "I'm sorry he's an asshole. He is under the assumption that you have feelings for me. Or at least like looking." He lowered his hand and turned compeltly to me shurgging.

"I'm not going to say he's wrong." I froze and dropped my hand down from his shoulder. He leaned forward and gave a sad smile. "But I do know that you are happily in a relationship and I'm not about to chase after something I can't have." He put a hand on my hip and squeezed it before turning, and walking out.

James and I quietly shut down our computers and cleaned our desks of any reports on our case, and put on our coats. I had no idea what to say to him. He seemed to not think anything weird with him telling me what he did, and I thought, if I brought it up, I'd make it a lot weirder. So I got on the elevator with him, and walked into the garage with him, still neither of us saying a word. It wasn't until we were almost to his truck, I relaized, Kendall drove us here. And he left. "Shit..." I stopped and put my hands in my jacket pockets watching him turn and give me a weird look. "I have to call a cab. Kendall was my ride." He chuckled and pulled out his truck keys, hitting the unlock button.

"I'll take you home." I nodded bitting my bottom lip and lifted myself into his truck. I waited patiently as he also got in, putting some of his paperwork in the back seat, and turned on the truck. We again sat in that painful silence as he drove towards my house, just as it started raining. By the time he pulled up on the curb by my home, the rain was coming donw hard. But that wasn't why I stayed sitting in my seat, seatbelt still on. The driveway was empty. All the lights were off inside. No one was home. "Jess?" I kept my eyes focused on the house and swallowed hard, hoping my stupid tears didn't fall out of my stupid eyes. "He isn't home is he?" I simply shook my head quickly wiping under my left eye closing both. "Do..."

"Can you drive me to his office?" I turned to him making sure he didn't see the tears and before I gave him a chance to answer I chuckled and took off my seatbelt. "Nevermind. I can drive myself." My arm was grabbed softly as I went to reach for the handle and we locked eyes.

"I'll take you. It's alright." I nodded looking back to my dark, empty looking house and felt stupid. Stupid for thinking we could have some make up sex again and move on. I should have known better. He's a criminal. I'm a cop. It probably won't work. "I hope I didn't make anything weird between us back at the station." I looked over at James seeing him concentrated hard on the road one hand gripping the wheel tight. "I know it's not a shock to you how attractive you are." I felt my cheeks go hot and sat back in my seat. "But it's not just that. You're so smart. And such a badass detective. Quite the catch in my eyes. But like I said...I'm no homewrecker." I chuckled making him give me a little side of the mouth smile.

"Ya know..." He turned to me quick and we held eye contact for just a second. "In another world...in another time, an ex FBI agent turned small city detective would have made a great guy for a hopeless romantic small city detective who wears he heart on her sleeve." He looked back to the road slowing down at an appraoching red light.

"In another time." He said it softly under his breath and something weird occured to me. Maybe James wasn't that egotistical selffish jackass I thought. Maybe he was one of the few good guys left out in the world. Legitimate good guys. Maybe.

I wasn't surprised to see Kendall's car parked next to Carlos's as we pulled up to his office. It was the few other cars there that made me sligthly panicked. I noticed James look a little tense with the extra cars too, but neither of us said anything. I slid out of the truck and pulled my hood on, slamming the door hard. The sadness I felt for my arguing with Kendall was replaced with rage. How could he be so thoughtless? So heartless? If he actually thought I was in danger with my job, he should have handled it alot differently. And that was the exact thing I was going to tell him when I saw him. I hurried inside thier brightly lit office and shook off the rain and cold pulling my hood off. A few guys looked up at us as we walked in, most I recognized, but ignored them. I started walking directly towards the closed office of my idiot boyfriend, but didn't get very far. Carlos appeared in front of me and put one hand on my face, while the other held my arm. "How are you doing?" I smiled and shrugged looking over his shoulder. "As far as I know, he's been sulking in there this whole time. Between you and I, he's an idiot and you're in the right for being pissed at him, for whatever it is." I laughed and nodded letting him kiss my forehead. When he pulled away I heard him and James shake hands, and start talking quietly, as I walked away.

I didn't even think of knocking when I approached his door. I just put my hand on the knob and turned. I let the door swing open, and smack into the wall behind it and put on my "mean" face. But it didn't stay long. Because as soon as I looked at his desk all I could see was a young looking blonde women laying flat on her back, completly nude. Kendall was leaning over her, also nude, with her legs wrapped tight around his back. When he looked up at me, and we locked eyes, I felt what felt like a fist punching me hard in the gut. "Jess..." I started to back out slowly feeling like I was going to either faint or throw up. "Jessica wait." I watched him pull his dick out of this girl, who surprisingly was grinning ear to ear as he pulled his sweats back on. I started to turn but a quiet, low cry left my mouth making me freeze. I covered my mouth quick as he walked out of his office pulling hsi shirt. "Baby I can explain." I closed my eyes, squeezing out tears as his hands went to my arms and pulled me into him. "I felt stuck. I..." I opened my eyes and shoved at him hard. He stepped back and shook his head, again, reaching for me. "I love you Jessica. Okay. This is...this is..."

"What Kendall? This is what? Who you really are?" I could tell everyone around us was watching us. Everyone was silent. Including Kendall. "Are you ever going to change from that scumbag, asshole criminal who uses and abuses women, and treats people worse than the dirt under his shoe?!" I went to shove at him again but something happened. One of his employees got between us, and shoved me back instead. I felt my eyes widen as I looked around this huge guy at Kendall who was compeltly blank. "You warned me. You told me you were a bad guy and I should move on else where. You told me that it was never going to work between us because I'm a cop and you..." I paused seeing the blonde girl walking out of his office, pulling a tiny little black dress down on her legs, still grinning. "And you are a worthless criminal." I looked back to Kendall and felt my heart snap. "I don't want to ever see you again." i turned quick and walked past a few guys, including Carlos and James. I shoved the door open hard and let out another cry as I walked down the stairs to James's truck. Before I got to it, i was having a full on cry fest. But I wasn't alone. I was gently grabbed and pulled into the chest of my partner. I hid my face in his huge chest and cried quietly tugging on his jacket in the back, hoping this was just some sick nightmare.


	8. Chapter 8: 2nd Sucks

_2_ _ND_ _Sucks_

 **James's P.O.V.**

I couldn't stop looking down at the pictures in front of me on the table. On one side, my file was open, and all the pictures were spread about. On the other side was Jessica's. For some reason I thought the longer I looked at the photo's the answer would appear. The killer, or killers, would show themselves and I'd be able to close the case and move on. Jessica wouldn't be sad or scared and we'd get any easy case. But I knew, although the case was a huge contributing factor, Jessica's sadness wouldn't go away if the case closed. It was because of the giant asshole I used to consider a friend. Kendall was literally fucking another woman on his desk as if all the shit he's said about being in love with her, was tossed out the window. It made me so mad and I wanted nothing more than to hit him or maybe kill him, but the case and my partners screams and cries as I drove her to my house were too much. She didn't seem to care that I took her to my house instead of hers. I didn't want her to have the chance of seeing him in her current mental state. And it wasn't like she could even lift herself out of my truck. I had to carry her into my house in the rain and all the way up to my bed. As soon as I laid her on my bed, she cried out quietly some more and I asked her if she wanted me to stay and she said no. I left, closing my door and went down to the couch, sleeping for just four hours. "Hey dude…" I glanced up from my messy papers and thoughts and smiled small at Logan as he walked in, showered and already dressed for work. Behind him wearing one of Logan's button up shirts and nothing else was Melissa giving me a smile back. "What kind of girl did you bring home this time?" I stared at the back of Logan's head and smirked as Melissa sat next to me picking up one of my pictures.

"Logan…leave him alone." I shook my head and stood up grabbing my empty coffee cup.

"I'm just curious. She's still here so not really your MO." I grinned at Logan standing next to him as I took the coffee pot from him. "And she's been in the bathroom for like an hour."

"Well she had a rough night."

"Gross." I turned to Melissa fast who was giving me a dirty look, but I chuckled shaking my head.

"No not because of that. It's Jessica." Logan snapped his head to me quick and I leaned against our stove in our sort of small kitchen. "After you left last night…Kendall and Jessica got in a fight. He asked her to not work the case and she basically told him to fuck off. I got punched and he storms off. Well we did some paperwork and I took her home. Except Kendall wasn't there." Logan turned fully to me, slowly starting to get pissed. "So, she asked me to take her to his office and when we got there…" I paused and saw both of them giving me their undivided attention. "Kendall was fucking this whore of a bitch Claire who has been in and out of that building as many times as she's had guys in and out of her."

"No." I turned to Melissa and nodded seeing her looking disgusted. "Why does Carlos still use her?"

"Cause she's easy. And can get any guy to fuck her. She's a good asset sometimes." Melissa gave me a dirty look, but I shrugged sipping my black coffee.

"Jess must be heartbroken." I lowered my cup seeing how upset Logan looked and opened my mouth to tell him she was but was forced to stay quiet. Jessica walked into the kitchen, hair wet and in a pair of my sweats and one of my under shirts. She waved to Melissa who only gave her a sad look and walked into Logan and I. "Jess…"

"I don't want to talk about anything except the case." She was quiet, and I could tell she was exhausted. I could see it in her face and hear it in her voice. "Speaking of the case…" She stood next to Logan and stared at me smiling small. "That mom and pop florist shop called me back. They said they do sell Black Eyed Susan's but the only person who has purchased them was a old man who had them deliver the flowers to his wife's grave site. Dead end."

"The University hasn't called me back yet." She nodded turning to Logan and quickly grabbed the coffee cup from him. She drank, almost half of it and handed it back to him smiling small.

"What do you know about officer Brad Becker?" Logan gave her a sad look for a few seconds before sighing out and putting his free hand in his pant pockets looking into his coffee cup.

"He's a rookie cop. Made a few mistakes out in the streets so I put him on desk duty. He kept asking to do more after Ben died so I let him sort of run papers for me. He was the one to make up your file for you. Why?" Jessica turned to look at me and I sighed looking back at the table with all our paperwork on it.

"We have a theory." I set my coffee cup on the counter as I walked to the dining room table. I grabbed one picture from my file of our first victim and then the same picture with the flower, from Jessica's file. "Brad Becker made up her file. Which means he was the last person to touch this picture." I turned showing it to Logan and shrugged. "Could he have altered it somehow? Maybe photoshopped the flower in it?"

"Or did someone at the crime scene…someone who was allowed to be there, put the flower in their hair, and then take a second picture for my file?" Logan shook his head pushing off the counter and walked to me taking the picture of the flower from me. He brought it close to his eyes and squinted shaking his head softly.

"Doesn't look photoshopped. But…" He lowered the photo and looked to Jess before looking at me. "I'll take one of these pictures and have our guys down in the lab check for any altercations just to be sure. In the meantime,…" Logan turned to Jessica who was pulling herself up on the counter only looking at Logan. "I want you to go back in your five years of working for this department and think of anyone who would have a grudge against you. Who would want to hurt you or at least fuck with you."

"That's easy Logan." I frowned staring at her as she laughed and looked straight ahead of her at our fridge. "When you and I became partners and somehow people found out we were screwing, a lot of those cops lost their cool. A lot of them hated me because they thought it was distracting to have a women on the force and the fact that I was screwing my partner didn't help the hatred." Logan simply sighed out, took the flower picture and slipped it into this black back on the counter.

"I guess we have a list of suspects to go through." I slouched watching Logan finish off his coffee and walk quickly to Melissa. She stood up from the table, looking a little uneasy at our conversation. But she set a hand on Logan's face and they moved into each other quick kissing softly. I looked away fast seeing Jessica also not looking and swallowed hard. "I'll see you tonight for dinner."

"Please be careful out there today." Logan chuckled but it didn't last long. "Have a good day."

"You too. I'll see you guys later today. And call me if you get anything new on the case." I glanced over my shoulder to see Logan heading to our garage. I watched him until the door shut and turned to Melissa quick who was sitting back down, texting on her phone.

"Have you heard from Carlos?" She looked up at me quick but glanced over to Jessica clearing her throat.

"He text me…he told me what Kendall did. I just didn't want Logan to know because he'll want to kill him." I simply shrugged sitting back down next to her and she sighed putting her phone down. "He failed to mention that it was with Clair though…I hate that girl so fucking much."

"Who is she?" We both looked to Jessica who was sliding off the counter and walking towards us. "I mean…does she work for your brother?" Jessica sat down across from Melissa who snorted in her laugh sitting back.

"She does occasionally. James was right. She's super easy. Fucks anyone who asks. The guys realized they could use that to get information on competitors. It's disgusting that she agreed to it but once a crack whore always a crack whore." Jessica shook her head looking away and I gave Melissa a sad look. "Carlos asked me if I'd heard from Kendall or Jessica. I said no. Of course, at that time I didn't know you were here Jess." She nodded, and Melissa turned to me smiling small. "Carlos is picking me up in a few. He wants to have breakfast and meet this new woman he's obsessed over." I nodded sitting back just as she stood up walking right to Jess. She put a hand on her shoulder which made Jessica stand up quick. She wrapped around her tight and hugged her breathing out her nose hard. I felt horrible. I wanted to make Jessica feel better but didn't know how. When the two girls finally pulled away from each other. Jess gave Melissa a kiss to her cheek before Melissa walked to the stairs. Just as Jessica sat down there were soft knocks to the front door, before it opened on its own. I knew it would be Carlos so stayed seating. And when he appeared he stopped short seeing Jessica sitting at the table. He opened his mouth slowly making her laugh as she turned to me.

"Jess…how…. how are you doing?"

"Considering my life at this moment not to bad. Kind of hungry but knowing Kendall is out of my life makes me feel better." I was surprised at how strong and bold she was. I heard her cries and screams last night. I knew being without him was not better for her. "Where is he?" Carlos carefully sat down at the end of the table and looked at me before looking at Jess.

"He…" He stopped seeing Jess look at him and he softened up his posture. "He got super drunk when you left. He locked himself in his office and hasn't come out since." She looked away fast and wiped at her nose closing her eyes. "No one blames you for not getting back with him. Especially me. I know him too well to know once he cheats he continues to do it. He's a selfish misogynistic jackass who treats women like an object. So…"

"He wasn't like that way to me." Her voice was so quiet it broke my heart. She stood up fat and turned heading to the stairs. As soon as she disappeared I locked eyes with Carlos who shrugged.

"I've never heard you sound so sick of Kendall." He laughed looking down at the table and I leaned forward.

"I've never be so sick of Kendall. He's not a bad guy. And that was coming truer everyday with that woman. And eh ruined it. He deserves to be miserable from now on." I nodded in agreement just as Melissa appeared dressed in a pair of black jeans and one of Logan's old police academy shirts. I knew she wore it because it irritated Carlos. I knew she also wore it because she worried about her boyfriend. Being a cop and all. It brought her comfort I think. "Let's go Miah…I'm fucking starving." Melissa rolled her eyes at her brother a she grabbed her black leather purse form the table by the stairs.

"You wanna join us James?" I shook my head standing up and looked up the stair hearing a door open. "Be gentle with her today. And let me know if you or her needs anything." I nodded giving a nice smile to Melissa as she pulled on a leather coat and walked to the open front door her brother was standing in the frame of. As soon as the door shut I walked around the table and went to the bottom of the stairs. I stopped quick seeing Jessica sitting at the top of the stairs her arms wrapped around her legs, staring down at me. I opened my mouth to ask if she was okay, just as she stood up. As she did she pulled the white shirt of mine she had on and tossed it to the floor behind her. I was automatically nailed into my spot as I saw her naked torso come into view. I was stuck staring at her tits jiggling just a little as she started to turn. When she disappeared into my bedroom I swallowed a hard lump and started to climb up the stairs after her.


	9. Chapter 9: Everything's An Illusion

_Everything's An Illusion_

 **Kendall's P.O.V.**

Every time I tried to move, my stomach turned, and I felt like throwing up. Every time I wanted to call out…to my best friend, one of our employees…anyone, I remained silent. No matter what I said, at this point, no one would care. The disgusted looks I got from Carlos and his sister, two people I considered to be family, made me hate myself even more. I wanted to tell them why…I wanted to explain somehow but I couldn't. Not like it mattered.

I had been in and out of sleep since Jessica left. My office door was locked up tight, so no one could come in and question me. But being in the same position on my black leather couch, without any food in my system was getting to me. Because it was almost 2 in the afternoon, I figured it was time to get my ass up, stop feeling sorry for myself, and face my consequences. Which is what I did. I took in a few hard breaths and unlocked my door, stepping out slowly. The front seating area was quiet, and our receptionist was quietly typing, locked on her computer. I walked down the length of the hallway hoping no one saw me and rushed to Carlos's open office. I frowned seeing him sitting behind his desk, glasses on his face staring intently at a file open in front of him. I gently knocked on the door, him only giving me a wave inside. I did, shutting the door behind me, and let out a shaky breath. "What's up?" I stood in front of the closed door and waited for him to look up at me. When he did, he pulled his glasses off and sat back, looking rather…calm. "You look like shit." I said nothing but looked away from him feeling that horrible feeling in my stomach again. "Jessica, so you know, is completely heart broken and…"

"I am going to be leaving." I turned back to him and shrugged, putting my walls up fast. "I'm gonna take some money out and leave for a bit. Sorry for the short notice." I put my hand on the door knob and turned it, turning my body to face it.

"Well considering you're a fucking coward, I'm not surprised." I stopped in the door frame keeping my head up and he laughed behind me. "Don't bother coming back man." That stung, especially coming from him, but I didn't let it get to me. "Remember…if you say one thing about this family…"

"I know." I glanced back over my shoulder and for a second felt bad. Carlos looked hurt. Like genuinely upset. But my walls were too high, and I didn't care. "See ya." I looked back to the front, felt for my car keys in my pocket of my sweats and walked down the hall, not looking back once.

The drive to my house was a hard one. I was afraid Jessica would be there. And if she was, the fear for me, was that she would be so mad, she'd hit me. Maybe even say more horrible things to me. And I'd let her. I would let her say or do whatever she wanted to me. That scared me because any pain she inflicted on me, I would welcome. That was a dangerous mindset for me to be in. But I let out a soft sigh as I pulled into our driveway, opened the garage door, and didn't see her car. I parked in the garage and left the door opened as I walked into the house. For the short moment I felt okay, as soon as the door shut behind me, the okay moment left. It was replaced with pure depression.

Walking right into our house from the garage was our laundry room. Hanging in it were pictures of us. Pictures of her at her job and odd things here and there. They were now either smashed, or off the wall, gone. I swallowed hard walking over some broken glass and walked into the hallway leading to our living room. I felt my heart drop into my toes seeing our 65-inch TV smashed, and shattered to the ground, surrounded by more shattered pictures. I ran a hand over my messy hair and sat myself down on our couch. The expensive stereo equipment I bought for us when we moved into this house was destroyed. It looks like she took some scissors to the speakers. All the things ruined weren't what was making me so upset. It was the fact that she was gone…that I broke her heart, made me miserable.

I sat for only a few minutes contemplating what to do. I wanted to pack a few bags, get and my car and drive as far as I could. But I also wanted to go out and find Jessica. I wanted to hear her beautiful voice one last time. I wanted to see her smile and feel her soft skin under my fingertips. But I knew if she saw me, it wouldn't be pretty. So instead I got up, walked up our stairs and went right to our bedroom. I ignored the destroyed state of our shared room and walked to our combined walk in closet. I reached up seeing almost all her clothes gone off the hangers and grabbed two big black duffle bags. I started to fill the bags, through teary vision, not caring what I grabbed, or what I didn't grab. After taking as much as I could, I walked out into our room and went right to my dresser. I grabbed socks, underwear and sweats, filling my first black duffle. When I zipped it up, I set it on the bed and sat down opening the drawer of my nightstand. I grabbed a black leather journal and a small hand gun. I checked the gun to see if it was loaded and gently set it in the bottom of my duffle. I walked to our bathroom and started to grab my necessary bathroom things. Just as I had filled up a plain black travel bag, I heard the front door open from downstairs. I froze waiting to hear her voice, but there was nothing. I frowned quietly walking through my room and out to the hallway, at the top of the stairs. "Looks like we're a little late for the party." My sadness and depression turned to anger hearing the voice of a man I wanted dead more than anyone else. Don.

I walked down the stairs slowly seeing two guys with semi-automatic weapons walking towards my kitchen. It was Don who spotted me first and smiled big taking his hands out of his pant pockets. "Kendall!" The two guys turned and raised their guns, but I raised my hands and stopped at the foot of the stairs. "My word! Can't believe you survived that gun shot to the chest." I stayed still and quiet and he smirked motioning around my fucked-up house. "Were you robbed? I can't imagine anyone would have big enough balls with that pretty little cop of yours living here."

"What do you want?" His smile fell, and he inhaled deep walking to my couch. As he sat down I walked further into the room and eyed the two guys, still with their hands on their guns.

"I want to make amends Kendall." I chuckled walking to the chair by the fireplace and sat down, relaxing quiet a bit. I raised one leg and set my foot on my knee locking my hands together over my stomach. "My son being killed which I know you know about…" I raised an eyebrow, but he continued. "It opened my eyes Kendall. Does it make you curious to know why I didn't do anything to you and Jessica on your vacation?" I simply shrugged, and he sat back pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pants. He lit one quick and raised the pack to me. I nodded once, and he threw me the pack with his lighter. "I didn't follow you there. In fact, it is mere coincidence that we were at the same resort." I chuckled again taking a few puffs from my cigarette, throwing the pack back to Don. "I had an awakening Kendall. I don't want to be this ruthless killer anymore. And I don't want to have a turf war between our families. I want to see this town rise to the clouds and be a safe, happy place for people to raise their families. I want to make things right." I breathed out slow eyeing him and licked my lips shaking my head.

"You can dress up a corpse Don, but it's still a dead body." He laughed nodding out and flicked the end of his cigarette into a coffee cup on the table. "Also…I don't think breaking into someone's home, is the right step in the making things right direction."

"I know. I was just worried Jessica and Logan had the whole city out for my head."

"They do. And Carlos is helping them." Don shook his head and looked out towards my kitchen. "I think it would be in your best interest to leave this town before someone puts a bullet in your head." He stayed quiet and I flicked my cigarette end into the fireplace right next to me.

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Jessica, Kendall." I froze staring at him and he sat up taking another drag. When he exhaled we locked eyes. "That little minx Claire…she was talking about it at my bar downtown."

"Get out." Don stood up quickly and threw his cigarette into the coffee mug in front of him.

"I also heard…well my associates heard a serial killer is coming after her." I took a long drag of the cigarette watching him shrug putting his hands into the pockets of his pants. "There is talks of someone very, very sick in the head who is obsessed with her. He's a dangerous man Kendall. And that's coming from me." He gave a small smiled and made a step to the front door. I stood up fast and exhaled my huge cloud of smoke turning angry again.

"Wait…" Don stopped and gave me a concerned look. "Do you know who it is?" He opened his mouth but closed it quick. "Can you tell me who it is?"

"They haven't figured it out yet?" I clenched my jaw hard and he smirked turning fully to me. "Interesting…" I looked at the two other men in my house before going back to Don, who was now smiling wide. "How about this Kendall?" He took a step towards me and I tensed up. "I'll take you to the guys doing this to Jessica, if you do me a favor in return."

"What kind of favor?" He gave me a devilish grin before walking to my door, and opening it up, urging me to walk out. I weighed my options as he stared at me, and after a minute of deliberating in my head, I walked out.


	10. Chapter 10: Start To Fall

_Start to Fall_

 **Jessica's P.O.V.**

No matter how good my body felt, my heart and my soul were aching. Inside, I was falling apart. Between finally finding out why James was always with a hot girl, and walking through my house, destroying everything that reminded me of him, I was close to a breakdown. Nothing I have done in the past hour and a half has made me feel better. Even smashing the TV and his precious stereo equipment didn't make the pain any less prominent. Because I knew if he saw all the things broken I our shared home, it would never be the same kind of hurt I felt seeing him on top and inside that girl. That's what pissed me off. Nothing would ever hurt him like he hurt me. Fucking James would probably piss him off, but I was single when I fucked another person. He wasn't. And even though James was huge…I mean fucking hung like a horse and was very generous with his tongue…hell he even talked dirty to me, didn't cover up the fact that he wasn't Kendall. He was the best version of a best guy friend a girl could ask for. When he drove me to my house to get a few things, so I didn't have to see Kendall again, he let me rage. Every picture I tore off the wall, the appliance smashing and even the gun stealing from Kendall's safe in our closet…James stood beside me and helped. It was therapeutic. But getting in my own car and following James to the university reminded me I was a lone. Without Kendall. I hoped he was doing just as poorly as I was.

I parked right next to James truck and got out fast pulling on my hood walking to the huge building. The University finally called James and told us they had a picture of the man who bought the flowers. That scared me just a little. What if we saw who it was, and it wasn't our top suspect? If it wasn't someone we knew, we were back at square one. "Carlos called me on the drive up here." I nodded as he pulled the door open for me and I walked in fast. "He said Kendall is leaving town."

"Good." James small chuckle behind me made me feel just a little bit better. And as soon as the door shut behind him, a young-looking kid walked out from behind the counter, wearing an apron, a small smile on his face. "Detective Benson. This is my partner Diamond. You said you had a photograph for us?" The college looking kid nodded and pointed to a hallway. He started to walk down it and James cleared his throat.

"Did this guy pay with cash?"

"Yeah. It was weird too. He pulled his wallet out and had like…bills after bills inside. He could barely close the damn thing." I rolled my eyes taking off my hood, following the kid into a small office. He walked behind a desk and sat down. "What did this guy do? Cause he doesn't look all that bad."

"Most criminals don't wear a sign saying I'm a bad guy." The kid chuckled just as a printer behind him started to print something out. "Can you remember anything else about this guy? Was he with anyone? Did he have any weird characteristics?"

"Like I said…he didn't look a bad guy. He looked like a nice old grandpa with a thick grey beard and…"

"Wait…" The kid looked up to me as he stood and I frowned. "He was an older guy?" The kid nodded fast and grabbed the paper from the printer, quickly handing it over to us. As soon as I took it from him and turned it to face me, every thought left my head. I felt a harsh breath leave my body as James took the paper from me and stepped forward.

"This is who bought all those flowers?" The kid nodded giving us an odd look and I started to turn around. James grabbed my arm and we locked eyes. "Don…" I closed my eyes fast and moved out of James's grip walking out of the office, not looking back.

I stood in the rain looking down at the beautiful view of the city. The University was sort of up on a hill and had the best views. I was enjoying it now because my tears would easily be confused with the rain drops. And because I was all the way up here, no one would see them anyway. Except for James. I heard him come outside about 5 minutes after I left and stood still. I heard his door open of his truck but remained motionless. Until he came up beside me, gently pulling the hood up on my head. I looked up to him as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes form his leather jacket. I watched him light one, blocking the light from the wind and rain, and when it was finally lit he put his cigarette back in his pocket and exhaled slowly. "How you doing?" I couldn't help but laugh as I wiped at my face and looked back at the view in front of me. "I called Logan, but his cell went to voicemail." I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest blinking tears away. "I think…"

"I can't do this anymore James." In the corner of my eye I saw him take another drag and I shrugged. "I used to be unbreakable. I used to be able to walk into a case and not feel scared. I used to be able to take down guys two times my size. I was such a bad ass. And now my own shadow scares me. I literally slept with a criminal to get inside information and stupidly let my ass fall for him. I became the typical girl who only thinks with her heart and needs to be saved. If you told this to me five years ago, I would have laughed in your face." I shrugged again and looked up to see James looking down at me, blank. "I can't do this anymore. Four innocent girls are dead because I made the stupid mistake to get involved with a Mafioso and pissed off the wrong man. I should have listened to you and Logan when you said I shouldn't work this case. I should have listened to…Kendall." I said it quietly looking away and shoved my hands into my jean pockets, shivering. "I'm going to put in my resignation once we bring in Don."

"Actually…" I watched James flick the cigarette to the ground in front of us and step on it. "I think you should do it now." I turned slowly to him and he gave me a sweet smile. "You know…I was in the Marines before I went into the F.B.I." I nodded, and he continued. "When I came home after two tours overseas I saw a lot of friends of mine go through…a change." I frowned, and he reached out cupping my cheek with his warm big hand. "I haven't experienced PTSD first hand but from what I know…I think you might be suffering from it. And that worries me. Because I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want you to lose the real you in this traumatized version of you." He quickly raised his other hand and held my face shaking his head. "What you went through at the hands of that bastard is valid. And how fucked up with what he did to you is a damn good excuse to feel scared." I closed my eyes feeling my bottom lip quiver and let him pull me into him. "Getting yourself help is the first step in getting your life back on track. And I'm gonna stand by you the whole time." I reached behind him quick and gripped onto his jacket quietly crying out.

Because we drove in separate cars, we had to leave in separate cars. He waited to make sure I was stable enough to drive, and I followed him close to the police station. I wanted to go home and lay in bed for a week or so, but I knew the conversation I was about to have with Logan needed to happen. James talking to me about PTSD made me feel very weird. But it made sense. I had horrible mood swings, I was afraid of everyone around me, and didn't feel like myself. But that made me so mad. Because I wasn't weak like that. Unfortunately, as we pulled into the parking garage of the station, I realized, I was weak like that.

James walked me into the station neither of us saying a word to the cops all staring us down as we went. I probably looked like a wreck. Not that I cared. The only thing I cared about was seeing Logan. And when I saw his closed office door, it made me feel better. Just knowing Logan was near me, made everything better. James knocked harshly on the door, but I didn't wait for a response. I pushed it open, smiling wide. Seeing the person sitting in front of Logan, however, made my smile disappear. My mom. "Jessie…baby what's wrong?" I glared at Logan who stood up giving me a classic, don't be mad at me look.

"We actually need to talk to you about the case Chief." Logan's mouth parted slightly turning to James as I turned to my mom. "Can you give us a minute ma'am?" James held the door open for my mom who nodded quick smiling at me.

"I'll be right outside sweetheart." As she walked out past me I caught a glimpse of a hickey on her neck and chuckled.

"Don't bother mom. I know you probably have some new guy waiting for you." She froze quick and we stared each other down. "How's dad doing?" I meant for my voice to come out cold and bitter. Because I was cold and bitter. "What are you still doing here? You want front row seats to my life falling apart or something? Because it's already happened. And you being here isn't making it better."

"Jessica I…" I raised my eyebrows at her and she stood herself up straight. "I know what your dad told about me…about why we divorced."

"Mom I don't…"

"No. Let me talk." My arm was grabbed by her and I tensed up. "I never cheated on your dad. He's the one who cheated on me." I rolled my eyes looking to James and Logan just watching us and shook my head. "Do you remember that young blonde rookie cop he trained? Do you think, looking back, that it was weird how much time they spent together not on the clock? How he brought her to your volleyball games…always invited her over for dinner?" I slowly turned back to my mom and saw she had tears in her eyes. "I let your dad turn me into the villain because you already hated me. I thought it would be best for you to have one role model parent. Even if I took the short end of the stick for it." I turned completely to her and frowned.

"Why didn't you ever tell me this? Why did you take this long to tell me the truth about that?" She smiled small and reached up carefully setting both hands on my cheeks.

"Because…I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. Running from your own happiness." I also carefully reached out and put my hands on my mother's arms looking down. "What Kendall has done…is inexcusable. But it is not enough to make you forget what love is. One man should never, ever control you. Control your body, your heart or your soul. If you no longer want him, move on. Make your own happiness. And don't just jump to the next best thing around." I glanced up in time to see my mother giving either James or Logan, or both, a mean side eye. "You are way more than somebody else's idea of you." We locked eyes and she smiled again. "You need to be your own idea of who you are baby girl. And be happy with that women you become from that idea." I gasped out quietly and lunged forward, hugging my mother tight.

"Hey um…chief?" I heard someone walk around my mother and I but shoved my face into her neck and squeezed my eyes shut hard.

"Not now Smith."

"Well it's actually about Cristiano." I pulled away fast and looked at the uniformed officer who was giving an uneasy look around the room.

"What about him?" I wiped my face seeing this guy glance around before looking at Logan.

"Well it's just…we got a call from a nark." Logan nodded fast and I tensed up. "He was seen at one of his old safe houses. He was with a few guys all strapped up." I made a disgusted face, turning to James and Logan who were both standing in front of Logan's desk.

"Okay…thanks. We'll get this…"

"Chief?" We all turned to the officer who was blushing. "There was something else." Again, Logan nodded, and the guy looked at me, and I felt my stomach drop into my toes. "We have been told someone not originally on his payroll was walking in with him. Looking very friendly." Even before the guy got it out I knew exactly who he was going to say. "Kendall Knight."


	11. Chapter 11: I Hate Myself for Loving You

_I Hate Myself for Loving You_

 **Logan's P.O.V.**

James and I were very quiet. Neither of us said a word as we strapped on our bullet proof vests, and other tactical gear. I sent a small text to Melissa and without saying I was going to the den of one of the biggest crime bosses in our state, I told her I'd be out of the office for a bit and that I loved her. She tried calling me, because she knew, just like I knew she knew, that there was a bigger reason for that. I ignored her phone call though as I got in the passenger seat of James truck attaching my ear piece to my walkie clipped onto the belt around my waist. I let James concentrate as he drove through town, following at least four squad cars. I wasn't going to be stupid about this. If our intel was right, and it usually is, Don was at a huge mansion, probably filled with at least 20 guys, maybe even more. I wasn't going to risk any of my people getting shot or killed all because of that son of a bitch. As I slipped my ear piece in my ear, finally, I looked up and in the side mirror on James truck breathing out hard. I could see at least two more squad cars following us and felt relief. I sat back a little clearing my throat softly and cracked my knuckles on each hand. I picked up my clipboard with the warrant the judge had signed for me a few days ago just in case we found out where he was and pulled a pen out from my vest chest pocket quickly scribbling in the address to Don's safe house. I looked back up again except this time I turned to James and couldn't help but smirk. Sitting very clearly on his neck was a sort of black and purple hickey. I looked back to the front and rolled my window down just a little. "So, you and Jessica…did you sleep with her?" I watched in the corner of my eye James reach down and grab a pack of smokes making me chuckle, more to myself than him. "I don't care dude. It's just gonna get fucked up from here on out."

"Why?" I laughed and grabbed his smokes as soon as he set the package down in the cup holder. I pulled one out and took the lighter from him after he lit his.

"I've been down that road with her." I closed my eyes almost completely as I put the cigarette between my lips and lit it. I lowered the lighter fast and inhaled sharply before lowering it and blowing the smoke out my window. "I started out as her partner. Fell head over heels in love and got heart broken when she decided a piece of shit criminal was a better option for her. I'd hate to see you go through the same shit man." I took another drag and saw the street sign we passed and tensed up. We were about 2 minutes away from Don's house.

"You don't have to worry about it man. I'm a big boy. Besides…" I glanced over to him and watched as he looked like the coolest dude alive, letting his cigarette hang from his mouth while one hand gripped his steering wheel and the other took his gun out of his holster on his side. He took his hand off the wheel for a minute while he checked the chamber and closed it hard. "She already told me the only reason she wanted to have sex with me was, so she could rub it in his face." I rolled my eyes looking back out the front window and he laughed. "I like to sleep with hot women. It was no skin off my nose."

"Yeah but I don't want Jessica to use you like she used me. It's not healthy. She already has a lot on her mind."

"Yeah…about that…" I raised my eyes inhaling more sweet smoke and turned to him. Before he could finish his mouth fell open and he leaned forward a little bit. I turned my head back to the front and let my mouth hang open. Standing in the middle of the street was Don. James slammed on the brakes of his truck just as the four squad cars pulled up beside each other in front of Don. I watched a few officers get out of the cars, guns raised and started yelling at Don. Don raised his hands, put them behind his head and got down to his knees fast. I quickly slipped out of James truck and slammed the door shut hard as I started to run to the scene. I gently shoved past a few officers and set my hand on my gun on my hip. Don was smiling. Big. And to my horror he had blood covering some of his face, and neck. His plain white button up shirt was also covered in blood. As I got closer, I saw he was drenched in blood.

"Detective Mitchell! Or…I'm sorry. It's chief now isn't it?" He gave me an evil grin and I stopped in front of him as a uniformed officer cuffed his hands behind his back.

"Whose blood is that Don?" He laughed and slowly turned his head to the huge mansion, with the door wide open. I swallowed hard and quickly took off running to the house. I heard someone behind me and just as I stepped up the deck stairs I pulled my gun out of my holster and raised it eye level walking slowly into house feeling my breathing picking up speed. My first step in the house made me stop all together. In the huge living room were four dead bodies. All men, in nice looking suites, all with bullets between their eyes. I swallowed hard and gripped onto my gun taking a few more steps inside. I watched James walk in beside me, gun also raised, and he quickly stared walking down a long hallway into darkness. I carefully stepped over a few dead bodies and walked slowly into the huge dinning room that had a huge kitchen connecting to it. I gritted my teeth seeing three guys, all dead, sitting around the wood table, bleeding out from their heads. One of the guys was face down on the table, while the other two were sitting back, their heads dangling off the back of the chair. There were playing cards all around them and the table. I shook my head softly looking into the kitchen to see no one in there and slowly started to lower my gun.

"Mitchell?" James loud voice made my body turn quick, raising my gun again and walked back into the living room. "Logan!? Get in here!" I picked up my speed just a few officers started walking into the house and nearly ran down the hall squeezing around my gun. I walked by one room without seeing no one in it. I heard James quietly say fuck to himself from the room at the end of the hall and rushed to it. I walked right inside ready to start shooting but was stopped quick. I lowered my gun fast and felt the color drain from my face. James was on his knees next to a body lying flat on the floor. He had one hand covering I had to assume a gun shot wound to the stomach, while the other gently held his neck. It was Kendall. "Logan…" James glanced back to me, white as a ghost and it snapped me back to reality. I put my gun back in the holster and walked to the other side of Kendall's still, lifeless body. I gently pushed James hand away form his neck and gasped seeing blood pouring out of it. I quickly covered it and closed my eyes, feeling for a pulse. I put my head down as his blood pushed out between my fingers and gasped quietly feeling a very slight pulse. I opened my eyes quick and saw James putting a red bandanna on Kendall's stomach shaking ever so slightly. I raised my free hand to my walkie and clicked it shaking my head.

"I need an EMT in the back room down the hall on the right of the front door. I also need a team to do a sweep of the house and look for any survivors. Take Don in and don't be gentle with him." I took my finger off the button and looked at James who was staring at me, mouth slightly open. "James…go get a towel or something to cover his stomach." He only nodded, and I quickly took his spot where his hand was, covering Kendall's stomach. I gently raised the bandana and gasped quietly seeing it wasn't a gun shot wound, but a stab wound. A deep one. And then I looked at the one on his neck and saw it was also from a knife. Someone, probably Don sliced Kendall's neck open and stabbed him. I breathed out hard and looked down to Kendall's face. He was ghost white, with blood trickling out of his mouth. His eyes were shut and if I didn't have my fingers on his neck to feel his pulse, I would have thought he was dead. The thought of Kendall dying, no matter how much I hated him for what he did to Jessica, made me feel sad. I quickly clicked the button on my walkie again and looked up at the door. "I need an EMT back here now!" I saw a few cops walk by, all guns raised walking down the rest of the hall, towards the right, doing the sweep. Before James got back in the room to paramedics came running in, a gurney being pushed in hard. Both paramedics, a guy and a girl bent down quick and gently pushed my hands away taking over to stop the bleeding. I stood up fast just as James walked in, right to me. He handed me a towel that was wet, and I quickly started to wipe my hands of Kendall's blood. I watched and waited, as the paramedics carefully lifted Kendall onto the gurney and ripped his shirt on his stomach. As they started pushing him out of the room, I followed still cleaning my hands of blood. I watched as they pushed him down the hall, talking quietly and tried to follow. But two uniformed officers came running form the rest of the house, by some stairs, holding a piece of paper.

"Chief?" I turned to them and nodded as they stopped in front of James and I. "We found this." The younger female uniformed cop turned a plain white piece of paper to me and my stomach dropped to my toes. Written in blood was a message that made my skin crawl. " _Don didn't do it. He's just a pawn. If you want to save her life, meet me at dawn."_ I turned to James fast who was already pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Take that in for prints. And let me know if you find anything else." The two cops nodded, and I followed James out who had his phone to his ear. "Are you calling Jessica?" I saw his head nod and we walked outside. I swallowed hard seeing Don getting put into the back of a squad car and threw the towel to the ground rushing to it. Before I let the cop close the door, I held it open and leaned down. Don turned to me and smiled big.

"Sorry Kendall didn't make it. Price you pay." I reached in hard and pulled Don out of the car throwing him to the ground. I heard the doors of the ambulance close and then the loud siren as they pulled away from the house. Don laughed as he tried to sit himself up, but something strange came over me. Without a second thought I kicked him. Hard. In the face. He fell back onto the pavement as officers gathered around me, looking at me with wide eyes. "Still a dirty cop, huh Logan?"

"What does that note mean? The one that says if you want to save her life, meet me at dawn?" He only laughed which irritated me even more and I made a movement to go at him again but was stopped. James gently pushed me back in the squad car and gave me a blank stare. I breathed out hard and looked to the cop who had put Don in the car. "Get him out of here." I pushed off the car and watched two cops pull Don up and walk him back to the car. I didn't care that his mouth was bleeding because he didn't either. He was smiling. Still.

"Jessica is alright. She said she is with her mother who… "He stopped talking hearing my phone ringing and I quickly pulled it out. I felt sick seeing Carlos's number but answered it anyway.

"James just called Jessica. He said something happened…and told her not to leave my side. What's going on?" I swallowed hard and put my free hand on my hip walking slowly towards James's truck.

"Where are you guys?" Carlos sighed, and I stopped by the passenger door of his car watching the remaining cops at the house putting up police tape.

"At my house. Jess was pretty distraught still and I may have made it worse when I told her I'm dating her mom but…"

"Keep her there. Do not let her out of your sight Carlos. I will call you in a little while." I hung up fast and looked over to James who was leaning against the hood of his truck staring at me.

"What are you thinking Logan?" I quickly put my arms on James truck and shook my head softly.

"Why was Kendall here? Because it clearly wasn't forced." I pointed to the sleek black little sports car in the driveway I knew too well to be Kendall's. James glanced to it and frowned before turning to me, head turned slightly. "If Jessica is safe and sound…and it's nearly 14 hours before dawn…who was he talking about? And why let us know so early on?" He again turned to the house and I shook my head pushing off the hood of the truck. "Let's go to the hospital. Whatever happens to Kendall I want to be the first one to know. SO, I can break it to Jessica and Carlos." I saw him nod as we both climbed into the truck and slammed our doors hard.

"Don't you think we should have told them already? Carlos is gonna be destroyed." I nodded but swallowed hard sitting back as James carefully drove out of the street we were down. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket but ignored it, knowing it would be Jessica. I couldn't talk to her. Not yet. Not until I heard Kendall was okay or…wasn't.

We again drove in silence after I found out what hospital Kendall went to from the radio in James's truck. We weren't that far away and when we got to it James parked in the back by the ambulance and made sure his police badge was hanging from his rearview mirror. We walked in looking around until I spotted a nurse I knew very well and walked right up to her. "Gina." She looked up fast and smiled big walking to us, pulling the clipboard in her arm, up to her chest. "Where is Kendall Knight?"

"Surgery." I nodded, and she frowned turning motioning us to follow. "The paramedics were able to get him awake and they got him cleaned up. From what I understand no organs were hit inside his stomach and his neck isn't deep enough to do real damage." I nodded following her down a few halls, James still right beside me. "His stomach wound is pretty deep, but it looks optimistic." I nodded once more just as she stopped in front of a pair of double doors marked ER surgery room C. "You guys can wait out here. I'll let the nurses know to come right to you once he's out of surgery." I smiled small as she gripped my arm and waved softly at James, turning and walking away. I sighed out turning and looked up to James who was frowning down at me.

"Your phone is ringing again." I frowned just as we both turned and walked to four chairs lining a wall. I sat down hard pulling my phone out of my pocket and sunk in my seat seeing I had a text from Melissa and a missed call and voicemail from her. Her text asked if I would still be able to make it to dinner. I quickly opened my phone and before sending her a text back, I called my voicemail and watched doctors and nurses walk by us quickly. The loud beep entered my head followed by her frantic voice. I sat up fast and listened carefully.

" _Logan?! I went back to your house. I left some of my school books here…I think someone is breaking in!"_ I swallowed hard standing up slowly feeling myself tense up. Before she continue talking there was a loud scream. I heard a door slam open and closed my eyes hard. " _Logan! No…let me go! Don't touch me! Log- "Her_ voice was cut off and the loud beep came into my head again.

"You alright man?" I opened my eyes and looked down to James who stood up fast seeing my face. "Logan?"

"I know who he was talking about now."


	12. Chapter 12: Elastic Heart

_Elastic Heart_

 **Jessica's P.O.V.**

I couldn't understand how or why everyone seemed so calm. Yes, there was only three people in the huge house right now, but two of us were acting like nothing was wrong. When have I ever just sat back and did what my partner and superior told me to do? Never. Logan should know that by now. And the way James sounded, did sound good. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong. And it made me worried because before I left the station after being told Kendall was with Don, I got a text from Kendall. It was short and simple. All it said was I love you. It irritated me, but if he did something stupid and got himself hurt, I would care. Yeah, I hated him for what he did, but he still had a part of me I would never get back, and I loved him. I just wasn't in love with him. Well, maybe I didn't love him. But would care if he got hurt. "Jess…" I looked over to the couch and held back my dry heaving seeing my mother clinging onto Carlos. Carlos chuckled gently pushing my mother's hands and legs off his body and sat forward. "Did Kendall ever tell you about the time he cheated on his fiancée, Nicole?" I tensed up and raised my glass to my lips. Carlos locked his hands together and shook his head looking at the TV hanging on his wall. "I swear to God…I almost killed him. He had the best woman in the world and nearly ruined it by sticking his dick in some bar tramp." I rolled my eyes also looking at the TV and crossed one leg over the other. "He asked for my advice once Nicole found out. I told him to put his tail between his legs and beg for forgiveness. He, of course being Kendall, did neither." I glanced back over to him and saw a smile on his face. A small one, but one that made me relax a little. "He took about a hundred grand out of his account and went away for a week. By the time he got back Nicole found out that Kendall didn't cheat because he didn't love her anymore. He cheated because her dad told him he was no good for her, and she deserved better." I lowered my glass slowly and locked eyes with him. "He put himself in destruct mode. A part of him believed it. He knew what he was back then, and he knows now. He's a ruthless, smart, and sometimes overzealous business man who happens to do a few things crookedly." But he raised one finger and smiled at me again. "But when he loves…he loves with his whole heart."

"No one told him any of that Carlos. Logan didn't…James didn't…you didn't." He nodded looking back to the TV and I caught my mother's eyes. She gave me a look that, in my mind, told me, everything Carlos was saying, was bullshit. I smirked looking back to the TV and shook my head. "And of course, you're going to side with your bro. Claire works for you, doesn't she?" I heard Carlos get up but ignored him as he stormed out of his living room down a hall. I turned back to my mother who was sporting the same smile I had on my face. "Kendall is a pig who treated me like property. I will never go back to him."

"Good for you baby." My mother stood up fast and walked to me. I let her hold each side of my face and kiss my forehead. "Let me go calm the big man child down." I chuckled and nodded watching her walk away towards the same hall Carlos left moments ago. However, she was stopped when Carlos reappeared, phone to his ear.

"No, we'll leave right now. No…I know but you should have told me when you found him Logan…right…Chief Mitchell." I frowned standing as my mom wrapped around Carlos who looked directly at me. "Not that you care…but Kendall was stabbed and had his throat sliced open. I'm going to go see him if you'd like to come with. If not, you don't have to stay here." My mouth went dry as Carlos started to turn, my mom grabbing ahold of him. I felt my throat go tight seeing Carlos give me a look that showed no pity or sympathy. I only nodded seeing my mom rush to me, and then everything went fuzzy.

I sat in the back of Carlos's Mustang as he drove us through town, him and my mom talking quietly to each other. I had no thoughts. My head was empty of all thoughts. It almost seemed like I was clearing my head. I was emptying every memory I had of Kendall. Probably because I thought he would die. Why focus on something that's going to leave anyway? That's what I thought when Kendall and I had our fight, and he stormed off. I pushed his feelings and thoughts aside and went to work. And he was right. That I shouldn't have continued to work on the case. And now he could be dead. That's life I guess.

I numbly let my mom lead me into the hospital, not realizing we were there already. I held her hand tight and followed Carlos who asked several nurses where to go. We walked down several hallways until I saw Logan and James. They were both listening intently to a uniformed officer and my heart picked up speed. Logan had blood on his shirt. So, did James. How bad a shape was Kendall in? "Keep me posted and tell them down at the lab they better be running those prints or so help me God." We stopped short of the men, the officer walking away quick. Logan spotted us, and we locked eyes. But as soon as he saw me he turned to Carlos and breathed out hard. "Can I talk to you in private please?" Carlos only nodded and without saying one word to me they both walked away. That worried me.

"Jess…Miss. Benson."

"Sweetie…it's Roberts. Benson is her fathers last name." I turned to my mom giving her a dirty look and she chuckled kissing my cheek softly. "I'm gonna wait out here. Take your time." She let me go and took a seat against a wall pulling her phone out of her purse.

"He's been asleep this whole time, but I know he'll be happy you're here." I looked back to James and nodded letting him put a hand on my upper back and gently push me to a closed curtain. He softly pushed the curtain aside and let me walk in. However, even in the dim light, I could see Kendall's out line, with a tube down his throat, and a machine breathing for him, and I panicked. I turned quick and ran right into James who put one hand behind my head and the other around my shoulders. "It's alright Jess…he's okay. He's just asleep." I closed my eyes hard and put my hands around my face gasping quietly. "Jess…Jessica it's okay. He's right there. He's doing great. It's alright." He gently moved us, so I was walking backwards, and he was forwards. I shook my head softly hearing the beeping coming closer to me and cried quietly on James's chest. "Look…" I was turned quickly but softly, and he held my arms making me raise my head and open my eyes. I felt a waterfall of tears come out of my eyes as I looked down at Kendall whose head was to the side, and I saw a thick white wrap around his neck. "He lost a lot of blood. But no organs were hit inside, and they were able to clean him up nicely. He'll have a dope scar on his stomach and neck." I slowly moved my right hand out to him and softly set it on his arm closest to me. He was cold. I gasped out and suddenly felt like I was hit in the face with reality. Kendall was in front of me, and mostly unhurt. That made me feel good. I raised his arm carefully and set it on my legs as I sat down on the bed beside him. I reached up gently and brushed his dirty blonde hair off his forehead. I watched his chest rise slowly and lower even slower. I let out a hard breath and relaxed a little wiping my face free of tears. I set both hands on top of his and kept my eyes on Kendall's soft looking face. I didn't know if James was behind me still but didn't care.

I could have sat there, in silence holding Kendall's hand forever. But about 5 minutes into the silence the curtains behind me were shoved open hard making me stand up fast. I set Kendall's arm down and turned seeing Carlos storming in, Logan behind him, eyes red and puffy. I frowned walking forward but was stopped by Carlos. He got in front of me and glared down at James who I didn't know was sitting in there with me. "Why didn't you call me as soon as you found out?!"

"Carlos, we have protocol." Logan sounded so hurt. I walked around Carlos and went right to Logan who heaved out hard throwing his hands up. "DO you think I like having to make those calls to the police department to go out and search for my girlfriend?" My mouth parted quick and Logan looked to me shaking his head. "Someone took Michelle. He gave me until dawn." I reached out grabbing Logan's arm and he looked past me, looking helpless. "I'm going to find her Los. I promise." I turned slowly and saw, instead of glaring down at James, was by Kendall not moving at all. Neither of them were. I let Logan go and walked right beside Carlos and set a hand on his shoulder seeing him crying. Something I had never seen before. "I promise Carlos…I'll find her and put a bullet in the guys head." Carlos turned fast and looked between James and Logan and then stopped on me. I nodded and let out a shaky breath turning to Logan.

"I'm going to help." Logan turned quick and put his hand son his hips walking to the glass window that had blinds closed. I turned to James who was giving me a worried look, but I ignored it. "What's been done already?" He sighed out and walked to me pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Were doing a sweep of the town. We got some prints from our house that might be whoever took her. What we know is whoever did this wanted us to think it was Don. The flowers…Don buying them…he was paid to do it. He won't give up a name. But he did say it was someone who was pissed off at you and Logan. Something to do with Ben dying." I frowned letting Carlos go as he sat next to his best friend's body.

"Don is in custody?" James nodded, and I felt relief standing up straight. "So…Don has been working with this serial killer? Why was Kendall there?"

"Don tricked him into thinking he would help him find the guy after you." We all turned to Logan who looked back at us, wiping off his face free of tears. "Don's last job was getting Kendall to his house, so he could kill Kendall. His next victim. And after Kendall it's Michelle. And then you and I." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down to look at Kendall's face, frowning. "I can't even think…."

"Wait…" We all looked to James who was staring at me. "Brad Becker…we ever find anything out about him?"

"No…" I shook my head softly just as Carlos stood up and gave us a weird look.

"Did Ben have a kid?" The whole room went 20 degrees colder and I turned to Logan who walked over to us quickly.

"He lost connection with him after Ben got into some financial troubles and his wife divorced him. I never saw a picture of him or knew his name." I looked back to James who had a small smile on his face.

"You think maybe he might want to get some revenge cause his dad died? Think about it…" James pointed to Logan and nodded his head. "Your girlfriend gets kidnapped. Kendall almost dies. Michelle is Carlos's sister, and he's been killing women who look like Jess to fuck with her head and brings in Don to make the situation even better for all of us. He is taking his dad dying out on us."

"We don't even know if it's his kid. That's a wild theory." James looked down at me and I shook my head turning to Logan. "James and I will go to your house and look around." Logan only shrugged turning back to the window and I looked over to Carlos who was typing quickly on his phone. "I'm sorry about Kendall Carlos." Carlos looked up fast and I moved in. "I'm sorry about Michelle too. But we'll find her." He moved out quick, and wrapped around me, hugging me tight. I wrapped tight around him and kissed his cheek softly. "Let me know if you need anything. Or have my mom get it for you. Trust me, she will love it." He chuckled and nodded against me, pulling away. Before I turned to leave, I looked down at Kendall and tensed up. I set a hand on the top of his head and bent slightly kissing his lips softly. I reached down with my free hand and grabbed his, squeezing softly. I raised up quick, and turned walking out, past Carlos. I went right to James who was by the door but looking around the hall. "You ready?"

"Yeah…did your mom say she was going somewhere?" I frowned and looked down the hall not _seeing_ my mother anywhere.

"I don't think so. But she's probably just in the bathroom or something. Come on." I nudged into him just as a uniformed officer came towards us.

"Detectives…we have some new information." I nodded as he got beside me and handed over a piece of paper to me. "The station faxed this over. Brad Becker signed out a huge artillery of guns over 2 hours ago." I looked up quick as James took the paper from me. "He just called the station asking to speak to you. When they told him you were here, he hung up. And about 20 minutes ago, that fax got sent to them, and they sent it to us." I looked back down to the paper fast and felt my stomach turn.

" _Mommy dearest doesn't stand a chance. Her only hope is you Benson and your many partners of dance. Don't forget to look both ways before you cross the street and lock the door behind you. If I must tell you where they are, you are too late. If you know where they are, you don't need to knock to enter."_

"They were able to track the computer it came from." I looked up feeling all the anger and sadness get replaced with pure hate and rage. "Brad Becker's."


	13. Chapter 13: Back Home

_Back Home_

 **Kendall's P.O.V.**

" _No matter how fast we get to that , if it's not the right place, we get pushed further behind. You two, especially you Jessica, are going to stay in this room while we get it figured out."_

" _He is calling you and I out by name Logan. He took my mother…he took Melissa. I can't just sit back and do nothing. What is sitting in here doing besides letting him have an easier time to kill them?"_

I groaned and wanted so desperately to find out where I was, but everything was black. The voices I had been hearing for about 2 minutes were now muffled and it felt like my body was getting moved. On its own, because I sure as hell wasn't. I did know I was moving my head because I wanted to try to figure out where I was. I figured, if I moved my head, it would make my eyes open. But It was no use. And on top of the frustrated feeling in my head, and the movement from my head, I suddenly felt sick. Like I was going to throw up. The only thing I could do was groan again and hope someone around me took into consideration how uncomfortable I was and help me understand what was going on. "Mr. Knight?" My eyes shot open fast and the feeling of throwing up came up fast. I forced my body to sit up, ignoring a huge pain in my stomach, and coughed out hard. I looked down at my lap and saw I was lying under a thick blanket. It made me hot. Stupid hot. I shoved the blankets off hard and started scratching at my throat. Almost forcefully I was shoved down onto the bed, and two men I didn't recognize were over me, talking. But I could hear nothing. All I knew is something very uncomfortable was being pulled from my nose. It made me squeeze my eyes shut hard and shiver as the uncomfortably continued. A hand gently rubbed my back and like that, the weird feeling was gone from my nose. I opened my eyes slowly and saw both men walk away from me, their voices coming into my ear finally. But I didn't care about hearing them. It was the sound of a female voice I had been longing to hear for what felt like eternity that made its way into my ear canals and wake my body up. Jessica's.

"Is he alright?" Through very groggy eyes I saw her appear at the end of my bed looking worried and scared. I tried to sit up, but two hands pushed me back down making me groan out again. I closed my eyes, and just like that, I was fast asleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I didn't open my eyes right away. I didn't even move. I just let my body figure out where I was. And I listened very carefully to the soft voices around me. The firs thing I noticed was I was flat on my back. There was a soft beeping sound coming from beside me and I could make out at least two very distinct voices around me. And sitting right next to me on my right side, was someone holding my hand. Every now and then I would feel it get squeezed and a soft finger would rub over the skin on the top of my hand. When my brain told me, I was in a hospital because I was stabbed, memories started flooding my head. I was with Don. He was going to help me get the serial killer who was coming after Jessica. But he lied. He took me in a room and stabbed me. I fell to the ground and he cut my neck. Not a lot but he did it. And then nothing. "I think I'm gonna go crazy in here. I should be out there looking for her." That was Logan. He sounded very close.

"If I can't leave, neither can you. We have the whole city looking for them remember?" That sweet-sounding voice was Jessica. From where her voice came from, I could tell she was the one sitting on my bed, holding my hand. "Not to sound too full of myself but you always tell me I'm one of the best detectives on the force. Why not let me go prove that and find them?"

"Because he wants you dead dude. That's like walking into a bear trap thinking it's not going to hurt too bad." That was James. Whatever they were talking about, none of them sounded happy. It made me want to open my eyes, but a fourth voice came into my ears and it actually made me happy.

"I don't think he wants to kill you. I think he wants to bang you and then kill you." Carlos.

"Not even close to being funny jackass." Hearing Logan's irritated voice made me laugh. As soon as I did, I opened my eyes and looked to who was sitting next to me. Just as I thought it was Jessica and she was giving me a very concerned look, squeezing my hand softly. "How you feeling dude?" I looked just a little around Jessica and saw Logan sitting in a chair behind her, sitting up slowly.

"Like I got stabbed. And had my throat cut." Jessica gasped squeezing my hand again making me smile small at her. "I'm alright. I feel okay." She shook her head softly looking down and I turned my head slowly looking over to see James and Carlos sitting next to each other smiling small at me. "What's going on?" Carlos sat forward sighing out and looked me square in the eyes. Not a good sign.

"Some sick fuck who is obsessed with your girlfriend kidnapped my baby sister and Natalie and has given Logan and Jessica a timeline to save them. Some sick fucking movie shit that I'm not allowed to deal with in my own way." He sat back hard glaring over me to Logan and I chuckled turning my head looking straight up at the ceiling. I swallowed a hard lump and remembered Jessica telling me she never wanted to see me again.

"What happened with Don Kendall? Cause he's telling us he got you to his house thinking he would help you stop who has been doing this."

"Yeah that sounds right." I turned back to Logan, not looking at Jessica and shook my head. "I followed him to his safe house. I was so desperate to make things right with Jessica I was willing to work with Don to stop the guy going after her." My hand was let go of fast and Jessica slid off my bed. I still didn't look at her, keeping my focus on Logan. "When we got there, that kid…Brad Becker…one of your officers was sitting in the living room with all these dudes around him. He told me the person killing those girls and going after Jessica was someone who worked for the department. I made a smart ass joke and asked if it was him and he lost it. Bunch of dead dudes in that house, right?" Logan nodded standing up and I smirked. "He killed all the guys in his house and I almost left. But Don told me he had the name of the guy doing it and took me to that back room. He grabbed me from behind, stabbed my stomach and then slit my throat. I'm just as shocked as everyone that I'm not dead." I heard Carlos snicker beside me and I turned to him quick grinning wide.

"Good to hear you as your normal self man." I laughed again hearing an irritated sigh from Logan and turned back to him. I saw Jessica leaning against a wall by a window, not looking at us but turned back to Logan.

"What I don't understand, and Don is no help…why Don was working for this kid in the first place." I frowned and reached up to scratch at my neck wound, but had my hand slapped away by James. I gave him a dirty look and groaned out closing my eyes.

"Don didn't tell you he was being held captive by that sick fuck?" The whole room went quiet around me making me open my eyes and sigh out. "Brad…is Ben's kid. Don killed Ben. Brad promised Don he would help him clear his name if he helped Brad take down you and Jessica. And even James from what I understand." Logan's mouth fell open as he looked over to the other two sitting next to me. "After Don stabbed me he told me the whole convoluted plan. You know…like some sick fucking movie shit? How the bad guy always tells his plan too early?" Carlos slowly stood up, along with James and they all looked down at me. "Brad wants to make you guys suffer. He went after the closest things to you. Mom…sister…friend. He isn't going to kill Melissa and Natalie. He is drawing you guys out to have a last hoo-ra before he kills you. Except he didn't think I would survive. He's not going to be happy with Don when he finds out…"

"Fuck…" I watched Logan run a hand through his hair as he walked away from my bed and groan out. "He does know. When he walked in this hospital and somehow got Natalie to walk out with him, he must have figured out why we were here. Because of you." I scrunched my eyes together and he shook his head looking back down to me. "With you still alive he thinks he's not going to be able to follow through with his plan."

"But what is it about Kendall? No offense dude I just don't understand why this changes anything." I nodded at James's question and watched Logan look back to Jessica who was now staring at us, her back against the wall, arms crossed over her chest.

"He doesn't want to kill any of us. Especially me." I felt my heart break hearing her and watching her walk to us. "He killed those four women as a gift. He wanted to show his devotion to me. Because just like we thought from the beginning, he's obsessed." Jessica stopped at the end of my bed and sighed out. "But he always wanted to show what would happen if I didn't comply. If Logan didn't comply. That's why he dyed their hair…put my tattoos on their bodies. He knows because he is Ben's son, that Logan and I are close. He sat in that station with him and saw how tough it was for Logan to look at those dead girls and see me. It was torture. Something he wanted Logan to feel. Just like taking Melissa. He wants him to suffer from afar without being able to fix it." Logan sat down hard looking up at Jessica and for some reason as she continued to speak, all I felt was pride. And Love. Because by God…she was good at her job. "He knows I would have done anything…everything to find those girls justice. Because he must have heard from his dad about me. That's not me being conceded. That's what Ben talked about. How great his detectives were?" Jessica frowned looking over to James who was also sitting back down. "He knew eventually, like with all relationships in my life, I would end things with Kendall. I…"

"Actually…" We all looked to James who was glaring over at me, giving me an odd look with it. "Don told the cops who took him in, Claire was on this sick fuck payroll. I'd be willing to bet she was paid to seduce you Kendall. Sort of help that ball to roll." James looked back to Jessica, and so did I. She looked like she wanted to cry. And all I wanted to do was hold her.

"Can you guys give us a second?" Everyone looked down at me, except Jessica who turned away from me, and set her butt on the edge of my bed, showing me her back. I gave a pleading look to Carlos who sighed out and grabbed James's shoulder. He gently pushed him to the door and walked out the curtains, Logan following fast, not looking back. Once the curtains were closed I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position, breathing out hard as I went. Once I was sort of comfortable, I stared at the back of her head and opened my mouth. But she turned slowly and looked down at me, tears in the corner of her eyes.

"I had sex with James. This morning." I frowned looking down at my hands in my lap and tried to find the right words to say. "He is…a really great guy. He listens to me and he treats me nice." I closed my eyes hard and started to clench my fists. "But he's not you." I opened my eyes quick and looked at her as she walked to my bed, to where she was before. "Kendall I can't look at you without seeing you over top of that girl. And I can't believe I let you into my world. I can't believe I cried on you and told you about my shame of my back. I can not believe I let you control my emotions and take over my heart in the matter of a few months. But more importantly I cannot believe after knowing you cheated and did something as stupid as going somewhere with Don to make things right with me…I still love you." I reached out carefully and grabbed her arm pulling her on the bed with me. She wiped her face free of tears and looked at the monitor by my bed shaking her head. "You make me crazy Kendall."

"I'm sorry." She looked over to me fast and I shrugged. "What do you want me to do? What can I say?" She laughed out and looked down putting her hand on top of mine, on her arm. "I love you Jessica. And I can't lose you. So, what can I do to fix this?"

"Do you remember when Carlos found out James was undercover? Do you remember that night?" I sighed softly sitting back letting her put one hand on my chest while the other locked our fingers together. "You threatened me." She had a small smile on her face and it made me feel awful. "I was genuinely afraid of you. And I was afraid of what Logan would do to you. And what Carlos would do to James." I nodded as she rubbed my chest gently looking down at it. "I remember us going down the stairs at my old house and seeing Logan and James pointing their guns at Carlos who was seething. He had a lot of bad names to call me back then." I sighed raising my free hand and pushing hair behind her ear. "My point…" She carefully scooted closer to me and took in a deep breath. "You grabbed me and pulled me back. You wouldn't let me get my gun and do my job. Protect my partner. Just so you could protect me." I scrunched my face, feeling lost and she smirked. "I may have taken a while to realize this Kendall and I'm really sorry, but I now understand it's you. You're my partner. And I need to protect you just like you have always done for me. I may not agree with your methods, or your tone when we discuss things, but I know you love me and want to protect me. And I really need to start doing the same for you." I reached up with my other hand fast and pulled her to me, kissing her hard. Her hand stayed on my chest while the other went to my left hand on her face holding it gently. I pushed into her head and urged more from the kiss, but she pulled away fast. She kept her hands on my body and looked at me like she just got struck by lightning.

"Jess…"

"Oh my God. Logan?" She slid off the bed just as the curtain pushed open and James and Logan rushed in. They looked down at me, but she put up her hand. "I know where he has them." I frowned taking her hand and she shook her head, smiling down at me. "Don't forget to look both ways before you cross the street and lock the door behind you. If I must tell you where they are, you are too late. If you know where they are you don't need to knock to enter…it's a house." Both Logan and James deflated, and I squeezed her hand feeling slightly worried for her. "You guys! It's my old house!" I scrunched my eyebrows together and saw Logan step forward. "Ben was killed right in front of my house. The night Carlos found out you were undercover, Don killed Ben. On the street in front of my house." I saw Logan gasp quietly and Jessica continued. "I still haven't been able to sell it. If you know where they are, you don't need to knock to enter. Because it's my property!" She sounded so excited that she figured it out and I had to smile. She was a great detective.

"So…"

"Logan, we have to be the ones to go. If it's not us, who knows what he'll do to them." Logan sighed out looking over to James before putting his hands on his hips nodded slightly.

"Alright. We'll go. But James you are coming with us, with a unit following close." James nodded clapping Logan's back as he ran out of my room, pulling his phone out of his pocket. I quickly turned to Jessica and saw she was starting to walk to my door.

"Jessica…" She stopped and gently pushed Logan out of the room, after he gave her a sad look. "I…"

"I have to go Kendall. And I don't want to have another fight about it. I know you feel like you need to protect me but I'm a cop. This is my job." She looked down at me and I only smiled taking her left hand in both mine.

"I was going to tell you I loved you. And to come back to me." She fell on me and kissed me again, this time a lot more passionately. I tried to wrap around her back, but she pushed off me, keeping her hands on my face. "Just like I knew from the moment I met you, you are a strong, brave, smartass detective who has an ass I can't ever forget and the mouth of sailor." She chuckled but let a tear slip out her eye. "And because I love you, and I know how good you are at your job, all I'm going to tell you is please, please be careful. And come back home to me."


	14. Chapter 14: Cold

_Cold_

 **Jessica's P.O.V.**

Don't think about what he will do. Think about saving two people who you care about. Think about getting some sort of closure. Think about how as soon as you get back to the hospital, you are going to grab Kendall and never, ever let him go. Start on making some babies and live your life with him, with no more problems. Just the mere thought of Kendall with me, and having a life with him, I smiled. It was out of place, in the truck. The two other bodies with me, were not smiling. And the tension was so thick you could cut it with a Samurai sword. But Kendall made me smile. And at first that made me pissed. Because he really hurt me. He fucked another girl behind my back. On his desk in his office. We never did that. But he got stabbed. And had his throat slit. All because he wanted to try to help me and stop the lunatic who was killing girls. That meant the world to me, and it made my head finally snap on straight. Somewhere, deep down, I knew I wanted to kill him for being stupid. But on top, on the surface, all I wanted was to kiss him, let him eat me out…do what ever he wanted. "Fuck…" I looked up from the hand gun I was loading and swallowed hard seeing my old house, dark, and uninviting, with a police car in the driveway. I scooted up in my seat, in the back of James truck and reached out handing a gun to Logan who was tightly strapping his bullet proof vest on his body. He took the gun from me and I sighed out sitting back. I pulled my leather jacket off, and quickly lifted my shirt. "I don't like this Logan." I eyed James as he parked his truck across the street from my old house, taking his seatbelt off. He glanced back at me, lingered on my half naked torso, making me roll my eyes as I put my bullet proof vest on my body.

"For the last time…if you go in with us, who knows what this psycho will do?" I watched Logan pull his shirt back on and then put his holsters on his shoulders. He slipped two guns into each holster and looked back at me. I tightened my vest tight and pulled my shirt back on. I went to grab my jacket, but my arm was grabbed and gripped tight. I looked up to Logan who was shaking his head. "I'm going in first. By myself." I laughed pulling my arm from his grasp and pulled my jacket on, putting my gun into the holder in my jacket. "Are you ever going to listen to me?" I smiled reaching down and felt the knife my dad gave me when I joined the police academy and made sure it was safely in place strapped to my leg. I took in a deep breath, pushed open the back door sliding out quick. I slammed my door hard hearing Logan's also slam and started to walk across the street to my old home.

For some reason, I checked both ways before walking across the dark, empty street, thinking, something was going to happen. But nothing did. Logan and I walked side by side, with nothing happening. There was no movement or sound from the house and it worried me. As we walked up alongside the police car I looked in quick, seeing nothing. I let Logan get in front of me and glanced back seeing James still in his truck sucking down a cigarette. I took in a shaky breath and looked back to see Logan walking up the front steps to my house. As I followed, I pulled my gun out of my jacket and held it down at my side getting next to Logan who was stopped in front of my closed door. I tensed up seeing a folded note nailed to the front door and reached out for it. I let Logan lean over my shoulder as I unfolded it. " _Don't come in together, ladies first. Take the stairs and you'll find a mother, unharmed. But walk to the back and you save a life."_ I swallowed hard looking back at Logan and he shook his head putting a gun in his hand, cocking it.

"Go to the back…I'll get your mom." He whispered it quickly in my ear and I nodded tossing the paper to the ground. I raised my hand, leveling my gun with my vision and watched Logan quietly, open the door. It swung open, gently hitting the wall behind it and I took one step inside the dark, cold house. I stopped quick however hearing a muffled cry, from upstairs, and knew it was my mother. I swallowed hard taking a few more steps inside the house, squinting in the darkness. I raised my gun looking up the stairs and felt something cold go behind me. I turned fast and saw the front door slam shut. I was encased in darkness instantly. "Jessica!" I heard the door know jiggle, and even heard Logan's body shove into it but it was no use. It was locked tight, and just as my vision started to get used to the darkness blinding white light shinned bright, all around me. I lowered my gun and covered my eyes slightly seeing a figure in front of me. He raised a gun, to the door and I sucked in a hard breath.

"Logan! Get down!" I heard the gun go off and I walked forward, shoving into the body shooting. The gun dropped from his hand as I shoved him into the corner by the door and raised my own gun fast. I pushed off the guy and pointed it at his head breathing hard. A man, I know I had seen before, stood up, smiling ever so slightly. He raised his hands and shook his head, looking my body up and down.

"Fuck…how long did it take you to figure out where I was?" I swallowed a hard-lump hearing something outside the door and kept my shoulders straight, keeping my gun pointed right at his head. "You're so, so, so God damn beautiful Jessica. And it pisses me off because you have never given me the time of day."

"Where are they Brad? Where is my mother and where is Melissa Garcia?" He chuckled lowering his hands and I finally cocked my gun watching his every move. He only shook his head and started to walk to my old dining room area. I followed with my eyes and my body watching him walk to a small table with four chairs around it.

"I will tell you how you can help them, if you sit down with me, and have dinner." I shook my head watching him take a seat at the table and remained standing.

"Or I put a bullet in your skull and find them myself." He chuckled opening a casserole dish beside him grabbing a serving spoon. "Brad!" He looked up and sat back pointing to the chair across from him.

"You don't want me dead Jessica. Because I know everything about this house…it would be dangerous to walk around it without knowing about the traps. So please…sit. I made my family's world-famous dish. It's just meatloaf and mashed potatoes with some green beans but the ingredients my mother uses…to die for." He smiled bright and I reluctantly moved forward right by the chair across from him. I kept my gun raised and he sighed grabbing the serving spoon again. "Okay. Stand if it will make you feel better." He scooped some food onto his plate and I felt stupid. I could take care of this right now. I could either kill him or put him in handcuffs and find my mother and Melissa. But hearing he could have this place rigged to be dangerous made me stand still, still pointing my gun at him. "Do you know I sent you flowers in the hospital after Don took you and defiled your beautiful body? I doubt you even realized they were from me. That piece of shit criminal probably said he got them. But I knew. And I knew you loved them, because they were your favorite. Black Eyed Susan's." He chuckled stabbing his fork into his mashed potatoes and looked down at them, shaking his head. "I think the first time I tried to ask you out, you were with Logan. You guys were sitting at your desks and he asked if you wanted to get dinner after work. You giggled and said yes. That was the moment I knew…I had to kill Logan." I felt my heart snap remembering he just shot through the door Logan was standing outside of and tightened my grip on my gun. "But I never got the chance. My dad always kept me on the desk, answering calls, and getting him coffee. I was never able to get close enough to precious Logan to take care of it. Fast forward three years and I found out you were fucking a hardcore criminal and something…snapped." He looked up putting his fork down and smiled small. He was looking off into the distance, as if remembering something. "I was so distraught. I am a good guy. I follow the law, and I pay my taxes. But that clearly wasn't good enough. You didn't want the good guy, because you tossed Logan out like he was nothing. You paid no attention to me or any other decent guy in your life. Instead…you started dating a thug. And I figured it out." He glanced up to my face and his smile fell. "If you wanted to be with the bad guy, I could turn into the bad guy. Luckily, I had some pull with Don Christiano, and the very lovely, beautiful Claire Smith." I felt something hard poke my back and froze.

"Drop the gun." I heard a female voice behind me and slowly lowered my gun feeling hers poke into my back. "Just so you know, they didn't come alone. A cop car pulled up outside, and after you shot Logan…" They way she said Logan's name made my skin crawl as I set my gun on the table in front of me. "That giant handsome ex FBI agent, grabbed Logan and I'm pretty sure they called backup, so could you just hurry this up, so we can go?" I was shoved roughly to the chair she pulled out and sat down watching her grab my gun and walk to the head of the table. I tensed up, clenching my fists in my lap seeing the same women who Kendall was fucking and watched her sit down keeping her gun pointed at me. "Let's see if I can help." I turned to Brad raising an eyebrow and he shook his head sitting back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Brad has been trying his hardest to get his dick inside you and all you've done is ignore him and act like every guy wants you, which they don't." I chuckled sitting back and she smirked leaning forward. "We literally killed four innocent women to get you to notice Brad and what did you do? You continued to ignore him. So now were going to kill your mom, and Logan's girlfriend and against my better judgement, take you d=with us so Brad can finally have his fun with you."

"Claire is everything ready upstairs?" Claire gave Brad a blank look and they both stared each other down. "I said…"

"How about I take the lead from here. You have done enough damage already. You were supposed to make sure Logan came in…"

"So, he could protect her? Just because you want to fuck him before we…" He stopped hearing my laughing and I got both to turn to me. "Is something funny?" I laughed again and sat back putting one leg over the other looking between the two.

"It's pretty pathetic you two have to kill people, or force people to love you. It's actually really sad and I kind of feel bad for you." Claire slammed her gun down onto the table and stood up. As she walked to me, Brad also stood up and tried to stop her, But Claire was too fast. She wrapped both her hands around my neck and squeezed. I gasped out quickly reaching down to my leg and pulled my knife out of its holder raising it. I shoved it into her stomach, making her hands fall off my neck. She yelled out and I stood up fast, swinging hard, hitting her right in the face. She fell back, onto her back, and smacked her head hard onto the hard wood, knocking her out. I bent down fast and took my knife out of her stomach turning fast. Brad was staring at me with wide eyes and a huge grin on his face.

"That was so fucking hot." I quickly grabbed my gun, and Claire's gun and raised one staring at him.

"Where are they Brad?!" He raised his hands again just as I heard a loud muffled scream from upstairs. I glanced over my shoulder at the stairs and he chuckled.

"Your mother is fine. She's just scared. It's Melissa I'd be worried about." I looked back to him and started to lower my gun. He lowered his hands and smiled shrugging. "I knew you'd come around to me Jessica. We could be so happy together." I pulled the trigger fast, aiming at his leg and hit him hard in the right thigh. He fell to the ground and screamed out, holding his leg. I pocketed my knife and the extra gun and ran through my kitchen, looking for anything that he could have rigged to hurt someone. There was nothing. I went right to my glass door and gasped quietly. Lying in the middle of the deck, tied up tight, hands together, and legs tied all the way around from the top of her thighs, down to her ankles. I put my hand on the handle of the glass door and before I could open it, my body was slammed into hard and went down to the ground roughly. My gun flew out of my hand and I felt a slight poke to my side where my knife was still in my stomach. "I am getting so fucking sick of you bitch." I was shoved to my back and both my hands were grabbed by one of his. He held them up above my head tight and put his other hand around my neck much like Claire had done. "You and Logan let my dad die. You two did nothing to stop it!"

"Don killed…him!" I tried so hard to gasp out my words, but it didn't faze him.

"I know Don killed him!" His hand left my throat and he quickly slapped me across my face. I closed my eyes and groaned quietly as he sat down on my stomach. "But you two acted like after he died…everything went back to normal. No one even took a moment to say anything to me. You acted like without him, life was better! And it wasn't! Not for me or my mother!" My throat was grabbed again, and this time, he let my hands go and grabbed my neck with both hands. I closed my eyes quick and started to hit at him, without having any effect on him. He was holding me so tight, he started to raise my head, by my throat, and hit my head hard onto the floor below me. "Your life isn't more important than his! Don should have killed you, and Kendall and Logan before my dad died! It is your fault! And I could have forgiven you, but you still ignored me! And you acted like I wasn't even worth a second of your time!" I started to hear my gasps, less frequent now, coming out as tiny squeaks. My vision was starting to see spots, and I felt like I was going to have my head busted open underneath me. But just as I started to fade into the darkness of unconsciousness, there was a loud gun shot that echoed around us, and Brad was off me. I opened my eyes, grabbing my throat and sat up, pushing myself back away from him. He was lying on his side, a nice clean bullet hole up by his temple. He was dead. I turned to look at who it was that shot him and gasped quietly. It was Carlos.

"I got Jessica! I see my sister out back! Hurry up!" I gasped again rubbing my throat and looked down seeing I was cut up on my stomach by my knife, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. "You okay?" I looked back up to see Carlos kneeling beside me, putting his gun down and putting his hand on my side, holding my cuts gently.

"What…the…hell…are…you doing…here?" He laughed looking out to the backyard, and so did I. I watched Logan kneel beside Melissa who to me, looked unhurt. He scooped her up in his arms and started to walk to the side of the house.

"Did you guys really think I'd sit back and let my family get hurt?" I turned back to Carlos just as I heard a loud cry from upstairs. "Let's go make sure your mom is okay." I nodded letting him pull me up and clung onto his body as he walked me to the stairs slowly.

"Just so you know…" We stopped at the bottom of the stairs, just as James came down, holding my mother in his arms, who immediately screamed once she saw us. She also looked unhurt only suffering from some rope burns on her wrists. I gasped as soon as my mother was set on the floor next to me and pulled me in hard.

"Jessica…he was so crazy! He kept calling me his mother in law and that you two were going to make beautiful babies…I was so scared. Bu the didn't hurt me. Because he said he couldn't hurt his mother in law." I closed my eyes wrapping tight around her and let her cry and shake on me. "Oh Carlos…" I felt a warm body wrap around the two of us and opened my eyes hearing a stair creak. I looked to James as he sat down breathing hard putting his head in his hands.

"Thanks partner." He looked up fast and shook his head standing.

"I told you guys I should have gone in with you." I laughed putting my chin on my mom's shoulder and reached out for him. I pulled him into us, tight and forced him to hug around me and my mother. "I'm going to go see how Melissa is doing." I nodded as he pulled away and patted Carlos shoulder as he walked out.

"Yeah…I think I'd like to check on my sister." We all pulled away and I nodded at Carlos as my mom threw herself at him, pulling up on him. "Come on Natalie. Let's get you checked out. And you too." I nodded letting him wrap around my back and pull me out the front door. "You were about to say something back there too Jess…" I chuckled as I limped down the stairs of the patio and walked out to the street that was now filled with cop cars, and two ambulances.

"I was going to tell you I don't mind that you and my mom date. She deserves a good guy." My mom sobbed, probably noticing how close to death she could have been, and Carlos sighed, carrying her to an ambulance, but smiled.

"And you think that's me?" I looked over at him and glared as he helped my mom into the back of the ambulance, Melissa was already in, Logan beside her. He was holding her hand and brushing hair out of her face, while a paramedic put an IV in her arm. "Is she alright?"

"I think he drugged her. She's got a strong pulse and heavy breath but isn't responding." Carlos quickly pulled himself up into the ambulance and sat next to my mom who put her face in his chest. "You okay Jess?" Logan didn't even look up at me which sort of bothered me, but I nodded.

"I'm good. You guys get her to the hospital." I stepped out of the way and let the doors shut on me, quickly. I sighed out turning and saw James leaning against his truck, smoking, again. I held around my stomach as I limped to him and braced myself for a conversation I had to have with him, about a couple things. One of those things was I was in love with Kendall and was going to be with him. The other was I wanted to be a cop still and needed him to stay my partner. Hopefully, although I doubted it as I got beside him, and sighed out hard looking at my old house, he was going to react well to both things.


	15. Chapter 15: Re-Born

_Re-Born_

 **Kendall's P.O.V.**

 _ **One Year Later**_

My eyes were closed, and I was breathing in deep. The smell of the salty air around me, and the sound of the few seagulls around me was enough to make me feel relaxed. For once, in this whole day, I felt normal. I wasn't running around and making sure everything was perfect. I wasn't pretending to be interested in the pointless conversations around me. And for once, since I stumbled out of bed, I was sitting completely still. It felt nice. That's why I wanted to close my eyes. So, I could remember exactly how all this felt. Because I knew in about an hour I'd be standing for a while, followed by intense dancing. I was dreading it. "There you are." I opened my eyes smiling and looked out at the huge blue ocean in front of me raising a lit cigarette to my lips, inhaling quick. I watched from my left side, my best friend in the whole world walk down the wooden steps I was sitting on, hands in the pockets of his black dress pants. I eyed him closely seeing his hair was already gelled back, into place, and he had a clean-shaven face, free of any impurities. He was wearing a white tank top undershirt, with nothing over top of it, and to me, it looked like he just had to put on his button up, his tie and his jacket and he would be ready. And here I was, still wearing my black jeans and plain grey short sleeved shirt. Not even showered yet. "I have been wanting to talk to you about something." I blew the smoke out of my mouth and extended the cigarette up to him. He shook his head turning slightly and looked out to the ocean inhaling deep. "You know in the past year a lot has changed. We both sort of turned into domesticated men who would rather spend our nights in, with our beautiful women." I smiled to myself looking down at the sand under his feet putting the cigarette back to my lips. "You gotta know man…nothing in this world means more to me than that woman."

"Hence why were at a beautiful resort in Mexico." I looked back up to him and he glanced down to me smirking.

"I appreciate all that you've done for me the past couple of weeks. Hell…the fact that you were okay with the changes at the office…it means a lot coming from you." I nodded and watched him quickly and carefully fix some hair that had fallen out of place before sighing out and looking down at me. "My brother called me this morning." I lowered the cigarette slowly from my mouth and he shrugged. "No one in my family is going to be here. No one in my family understands why I left the…family business." I quickly flicked my cigarette to the sand and stood up, stepping on it hard. "They aren't going to do anything. Because if they were, they would have done it when I told them 7 months ago what the new business plan was. But…they told me myself and Melissa are no longer protected, and we are never, ever allowed to ask for money or help. On top of that they aren't too happy I'm going through with today and bringing in a white woman so to speak, to our family. I told him to go fuck himself and that was that." I sighed out hard shoving my hands into my pockets of my jeans and tried desperately to find the words to say to make him feel better. I knew his blood family would be pissed he was out of the criminal aspect of his family. But they were still family. Carlos was still a member of the Garcia family…he just wasn't a cold-blooded thug anymore. And the bullshit of him marrying a white woman was laughable. I've been to family reunions. A lot of these guys in his family have plenty of white women around them all the time. "I guess what I'm trying to say is besides Melissa being here…you being with me, standing by my side is enough for me to not care my brother and cousins and the rest of my family aren't here. And I wanted to give you this." I watched him pull a small jewelry looking box from his pants pocket and hand it over to me. I took it and carefully untied the red ribbon around the box giving him an odd look. "Don't worry. It's nothing gay. And I had help wrapping it." I chuckled letting the ribbon fall to the ground and opened the top tensing up fast. Sitting on top of some white tissue paper was a very old, but beautiful cross necklace. One Carlos has worn since he was 15. It had real rubies and diamonds in the shape of the cross, and on the back written in beautiful cursive was Garcia. I had a necklace like this, one that I hadn't worn in a long time for obvious reasons, but this necklace was special. Because it was one that the Garcia men passed down to their sons on special occasions. I looked up to him as I took the cross out of the box and shook my head.

"I can't take this from you dude." He laughed turning around and sort of stood next to me, as he looked off to the ocean.

"I want you to have it. Melissa doesn't want anything to do with this family for obvious reasons, and I'm not going to have any of my own kids so…" He paused and turned to me shaking his head fast. "It's not because I see you as my kid dude…but you are more like my brother than my real brother and I…"

"It's alright Los. I get it." I quickly bent down scooping up the ribbon and shoved it inside the box pocketing the necklace carefully. "I'm sorry about your brother and the rest of your family."

"It's alright." We went quiet as I watched a few waves crash down onto the shore and for a moment everything was quiet, and calm. Until the door behind us opened and two pairs of feet came out onto the deck, both people laughing. I turned slowly and smiled wide as soon as I saw who it was.

"We are getting pretty close gentlemen." I turned around to face Jessica, as she walked down the steps, stopping on the last one, putting her hands on my shoulders. "Have you even showered yet?" I laughed shaking my head and looked over to Logan who was already dressed in his tux, lighting a cigarette. He stopped in front of Carlos who laughed out and started walking up the stairs.

"I'll go finish getting ready. How is your mom?" Jessica shrugged and set a hand on my left cheek turning my face to her. I saw Carlos walk into the small but beautiful hut like cabin place Jessica and I have been staying in, since getting into Mexico two weeks ago. I looked at her beautifully made up face and curled and pinned back long black hair and put my free hand on her hip.

"You aren't dressed yet either." She grinned leaning into me and kissed my lips softly, and quickly, pulling away.

"I need help with my dress." I heard Logan chuckle next to us and glared at him as Jessica turned in my hand and walked up the steps going to the door.

"I don't know if you know this, but that's a hint that she wants to bang." I laughed gently shoving him as I walked up the stairs and walked in behind her, quickly seeing her up zipping the black sweater on her body.

As much as I wanted to throw her on the bed and wreck her, I had to shower and shave and get dressed for my best friend's wedding. I was happy for him. Over the moon happy for him. At first, after all the dust cleared with Don and the psycho serial killer that was after Logan and Jessica, the relationship between Carlos and Natalie, Jessica's mom, was weird. They were awkward around Jessica and I. We were awkward around them. But one night, after having dinner with them, and Jessica admitting the reason it was weird for her, was to think of Carlos as someone other than a friend, and not a father figure everyone kind of laughed about it. Carlos and Jessica had a long talk about how important Natalie was to both. Natalie and I had a long talk about how important Carlos was to us and it was fine. When Carlos asked her to marry him, both women were overjoyed. That was three months ago, and now here we were. On a beach in Mexico the day of my best friend's wedding, where nothing in the world could go wrong. Even the small fight Jessica and I had this morning about how much liquor I had last night at Carlos's bachelor party wasn't enough to make this day seem bad. Because we got over the fight fast, had quick, hot sex and went on with our day. Between making sure everything was ready and set up for the very small and formal wedding Natalie and Carlos had planned, and making sure Carlos had everything he needed, I was happy for the 5 minutes I got in the shower. I was quick about it but enjoyed the time under the water.

When I go out of the hot shower, a towel around my waist, I stood in front of the sink and looked in the mirror seeing Jessica sitting in the middle of our bed re applying her ruby red lipstick and touching up the makeup around her eyes. I went to work on applying shaving cream to my face and went to work on shaving all the hair I had grown there in the past couple months. We were quiet. The only noise was the running sink water, and the waves crashing outside. "Melissa said her other brother called to give her shit this morning." I eyed Jessica as she crawled off the bed, to my pleasure, only in a pair of red laced panties and a tiny white tank top, clinging to every inch of her skin.

"Yeah…Carlos got the same call." She shook her head clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth and tore off the white tank top exposing her bare breasts to me. "That is super dangerous lady." She chuckled walking to her suit case on the table by the patio doors and started to dig through it. "How is your mom doing?"

"Fine. She keeps telling her girlfriends about how awesome it is to have a younger guy who knows how to eat, and this is a direct quote, who knows how to eat pussy." I cringed as I finished shaving my face and bent down rinsing off my hand and gently splashing water on my face. "Yeah I had the same face. But she's happy so I'm happy. And once her and Carlos say I do, she is his problem." I laughed standing up straight and turned grabbing a hand towel. I watched her take off her panties and pull on a black laced thong and then a matching, strapless black laced bra. I swallowed hard walking out to her and let her walk past me to the long garment bag hanging on the back of our wardrobe door. I dried my face and neck and ran the towel over my newly buzzed hair sighing out. I let my towel drop around my waist and quickly picked up my own suitcase putting it on the bed grabbing a pair of black boxers. "Baby…" I looked up quick to see Jessica walking towards me, holding her dress out. I pulled my boxers on fast and walked to her taking the dress from her. "I just need help stepping into it, and then for you to zip it up." I nodded taking the fabric from her and held it open as she showed me and watched, hating how good she smelled, and how tan and fit she looked as she stepped into the dark green long dress. I helped her pull it up around her body and quickly zipped the strapless dress up in the back. She had her hair up and out of the way and before I had it zipped up all the way, I bent down and kissed her soft, open neck in the back. She sighed happily as she turned around in my arms and put her hands on my shoulders. "I love you." I smirked bending slightly and kissed her cheek, to not mess up her lipstick.

"I love you too."

While I got dressed and spritzed on some cologne she put on her three-inch heels and checked her hair and makeup one last time. Once we were finished I took her phone for her slipping it into my pants pocket and watched her slide a small Glock into her clutch. I smirked as we walked out of her cabin and locked the door behind us, and took her hand, leading her up to the huge resort we were about 2 minutes away from. She clutched onto my arm holding her hand, and quietly told me about the beautiful flowers all around us. I piped in every now and then, but just hearing her soft sweet voice made me stay relatively quiet. By the time we got to the resort, I walked her down to the room her mom and all the women in her bridal party were in and kissed her one last time, turning to go to the room Carlos and his groomsmen were in. When I got to it, instead of knocking like Jessica had, I walked right in, smiling instantly.

Carlos was standing next to Logan and James, both wearing the same thing I was. A black tux with a dark green undershirt and black skinny tie. Carlos on the other hand was wearing a black tux with a white shirt and skinny dark green tie. They all had whiskey glasses in their hands and when I approached them James quickly grabbed an extra whiskey glass from the table in front of them and handed it over to me. "About God damn time dude." I flipped him off taking the glass from him and smirked over to Carlos who was non-stop smiling. "We are just about to send out search and rescue."

"I tried telling them Jessica was probably getting lucky but…" I eyed Logan as he raised his glass and cleared his throat. "Now that the best man has finally arrived I think we should make a toast." I quickly raised mine as well and looked across to my best friend who was grinning wide at Logan. "Out of everyone here, I've known you the shortest amount of time. But in the time, I have known you I have found out a couple of things." I turned to Logan smiling and he smirked. "Carlos Garcia is a stubborn, hard, bad ass dude who doesn't take shit from anyone. Once upon a time, a long time ago, he hated me simply because I wore a badge on my hip."

"You also started banging his sister." We all turned to James who grinned and raised his glass, making us all laugh.

"Yeah…I fell in love with his sister and somehow, by some miracle after a while, that hatred turned into a weird bond. We became good friends. I would even say great friends." I looked back to Logan who was no longer smiling, and he shrugged. "You have been through hell with me. You've had to see your sister get hurt because of me, but you still…you still call me a friend and invite me to your wedding and make me a groomsman. Because no matter about the person people used to see Carlos Garcia as…that stubborn, hard bad ass dude…I see him as something different." Logan raised his glass a little higher and smiled. "An honest, hard working man that puts his friends and his family first. And still doesn't take shit from anyone." Carlos laughed and raised his glass looking over to me. I raised mine and smiled small at him. "I want nothing but happiness and love for your wedding day and the rest of your life. And I know you'll have it. To Carlos."

"To Carlos." James and I said it at the same time and all at once, we downed all the whiskey in the glass. I closed my eyes tight letting the bitter liquid run down my throat and swallowed it fast. When I lowered my glass, I opened my eyes and looked around at the three men staring at each other.

"Well if that whiskey is as good as this wedding is about to be, I say we get to it." I looked over at James nodding and carefully set my whiskey glass on the table. I put my hands in the pockets of my pants and walked behind Logan who was checking his hair. "So, you guys know the woman I'm walking down the aisle with…that hot ass cougar friend of Natalie's?" I rolled my eyes at James as Logan pulled the door open for me and I walked out. I glanced over my shoulder seeing Carlos walking out in front of him and once Logan was also out of the room, we all walked down the hall next to each other, staring up at James. "She made it very clear to me she is newly divorced and looking for a great time in Mexico. Is that her telling me she wants to fuck?"

"I honestly wouldn't have thought you would be attracted to an older woman James." He glanced over to me smiling big and shrugged.

"Pussy is pussy dude. No matter how old." I rolled my eyes as Carlos shoved James away and we made it to medium sized room the ceremony was being held in.

"I think that's my cue to go inside." Carlos extended his hand to me and I took it, shaking it hard. "See you guys inside!" He gave a thumb up to all of us and sighed out quietly, walking into the room, quietly saying hello to the guests sitting inside.

"God damn…" I glanced down to Logan who was looking around me making me look as well. I sucked in a hard breath seeing the women walking to us, my eyes only on Jessica. She had her arm linked with Natalie who looked beautiful in her white dress and pretty hair and makeup. As they got closer to us, I stepped back letting Logan go to Melissa who was wearing the same dress as Jessica, and James went to the older friend of Natalie, also wearing the same dress. I walked to Jessica and Natalie and bent down quick giving Natalie a soft kiss to her cheek.

"You look beautiful Natalie." She grinned big and clutched onto her daughter who took my hand squeezing it. "Carlos is inside and very excited and eager to see you. Shall we?" She nodded fast and let Jessica go. I then linked my arm with Jessica who was holding onto a bouquet of red roses and bright yellow sunflowers. I turned us to see James already walking inside with the friend of Natalie's and sighed out, calmly.

"You okay?" Jessica's quiet whisper made its way up into my ear, making me smile. I glanced down at her, seeing her smiling face and nodded. I leaned down, closing my eyes and kissed her forehead softly.

"Better than okay." I stood up straight and watched Logan and Melissa walk into the room, arms linked. I took one step forward, Jessica following close and with her arm linked with mine, I tangled our fingers together letting our arms fall in-between us.

"Hey…" I glanced down again feeling her squeeze my hand and we locked eyes. "I love you Knight." I couldn't help my smile that grew as she pushed closer into me and looked out in front of us.

"I love you too Benson." She giggled quietly and took one step forward urging me to follow, and we walked into the room, smiling holding onto each other like it was our oxygen.

 **HIYA! Sorry I moved the story forward so fast, but I wanted to end this like this and thought it was a good time to do so! I hope you guys liked it, and as always, I would love to hear of any ideas you guys would like to read! Thanks for all the reviews and support!**


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